EK avas BMVI erimeetme taotlusvooru

Dokumendiregister	Siseministeerium
Viit	14-13.5/149-1
Registreeritud	04.05.2026
Sünkroonitud	06.05.2026
Liik	Sissetulev kiri
Funktsioon	14 Euroopa Liidu toetusmeetmete väljatöötamine, rakendamine ja järelevalve teostamine
Sari	14-13.5 Piirihalduse ja viisapoliitika rahastu 2021–2027
Toimik	14-13.5
Juurdepääsupiirang	Avalik
Juurdepääsupiirang
Adressaat	European Commission Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs Directorate E – HOME Affairs Funds E.3 – North, West and Central Europe (II)
Saabumis/saatmisviis	European Commission Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs Directorate E – HOME Affairs Funds E.3 – North, West and Central Europe (II)
Vastutaja	Piret Loorand (kantsleri juhtimisala, varade asekantsleri valdkond, välisvahendite osakond)
Originaal	Ava uues aknas

Dokument on kokkuvõtte tegemiseks liiga mahukas (134581 tm).

Failid

2025-12-22 Sissetulev kiri.pdf

2025-12-22 Voorust teavitamine.pdf

Annex I Requirements and standards.pdf

Annex II Non-binding guidance.pdf

Application form BMVI 1.1.9.docx

Budget form BMVI 1.1.9.xlsx

Call for expression of interest BMVI 1.1.9.pdf

2025-12-22 Sissetulev kiri.pdf

Piret Loorand

From: [email protected] Sent: esmaspäev, 22. detsember 2025 14:31 To: AT Alexander Payer; AT Astrid Kozak; AT Christina Trapp; AT Dominik Kacprzak; AT

Edita Blazyte; AT Eike Neuer; AT FMB; AT FMB 2 ; AT Gudrun Pabst ; AT Jelena Ulrich; AT Kathrin Moser; AT Martin Francis Hiess; AT Muehlhans Thomas; AT Pauline Gschwendtner; AT Ratko Simic; AT Robert Jacso; AT Vanessa Reiner; AT Yasmina Pinjo; BE Dekerf Nele ; BE Ghelen Yannick; BE Irzycka Magdalena; BE Laevens Margareta ; BE Lazzarini Matteo ; BE Petričević Ivana; BE SHD AMIF-ISF ; BE Van Houcke Sofie ; BG Kindjova; BG Kushnev; BG Petkova Maya; CY Andia Savva ; CY Constantinou Doris; CY Elena Savvidou; CY Hadjieconomou Christina; CY Kyprianou Constantinos; CY Pissaridou Anna; CY Sophia Theodosiou ; CY Stella Christodoulidou: ; CZ Ondrej Houda; CZ Pankova Jitka; CZ Silvie Hortova; CZ Votava David; DE ; DE Christin Kellner; DE Daniel Muehlner; DE David Lohmann; DE FMB ; DE FMB 2; DE Friederike Von Andrian-Werburg; DE Heinz Mareike; DE Ina Schoneberg; DE ISF ; DE Julia Schulze; DE Karin Patock; DE Kowalewski Shatin; DE Lea Hürter; DE Lorentz Stephan; DE Mark Berges; DE Markus Lang; DE Matlik Uwe; DE Melanie Frisch; DE Michael Konther ; DE Nimke Anja; DK Gustav Vind; DK Larson Nonboe Morten; DK Maria Cecilie Krastrup; DK PERM REP Anders Schlütter- Hvelplund; DK Saroxb; Ave Osman; Kristina Ots; SIM_VVO_list; Tairi Pallas; EL George Kritsimas ; EL Konstantinos Tsagkas; EL Papadopoulos Theofanis; ES; ES Enrique Morales Arias; ES Fami; ES Leandro Javier Sayago González; ES MOYA VIGARA TATIANA LETICIA; ES Sandra Mena Molina ; FI Artsi Alanne; FI FMB; FI Kristiina Mauriala; FI Mari Helenius; FI Sanna Virtanen; FI Simila Ville; FI Sonja Lyytikainen; FI Virpi Karjalainen; FR; FR Corinne Buzutil; FR Florian Banizette; FR ISF; FR Zina Khafague; FT Delphine Palmer; HR Brač Jugović Monika; HR Dalibor Jurić; HR Kobescak Glavan Monika; HR Lidija Pentavec; HR Miklenic Novacic Ana; HR Ploskonka Nikola; HR Radović Lucia; HR T Nincevic; HU Robert Ronto; HU Szilvia Szedo; HU Toth Judith; IT AMIF MA; IT AMIF Secretariat ; IT Carmelo Trattaro; IT Davide Milano; IT Laura Forcina; IT Maria Eleonora Corsaro; IT Maria Forte ; IT Segreteria Fondi Europei; IT Valentina Durso; LT Dovile Jegerskaite-Kinaitiene; LT Laura Pereviciute; LT Rasa Butkiene; LT Violeta Plotnikoviene; LU Adisa Calakovic; LU Carvas Claudia; LU Jeff Theisen; LU Léon Ludovicy; LU Linden Zoe; LU Philippe Donckel; LU Pietro Lombardini; LU Schickes Maria; LV Janis Zvilna; LV Marija Samoiļenko; LV Santa Balaško ; LV Sigita Šīre-Vismanta ; LV Sproge-Rimsa Santa; LV Vairis Stramkalis; MT Abigail Camilleri; MT Camilleri Anthony; NL H.J. Koller; NL J. Zinsmeester; NL M.C.J. Besseling; NL M.L.C. Heikens; NL M.W.J. Craenen; NL W.Van Walsem; PL Kaczorowski Maciej; PL Dargiel Katarzyna; PL Joanna Skalska; PL Kasprzyk Mariusz; PT Carillho Ricardo; PT Carlos Miguel Aleixo Dantas Aveiro ; PT Luis Castilho; PT Luís Filipe Figueiredo; PT Maria José Sobral de Oliveira; PT Sofia Pereira: ; PT Susana Monteiro; RO Adrian Ailenei ; RO Bratanov Crina; RO Daniela Florea; RO MA; RO Turcanu Andrei Iulian; SE Anna Svensson; SE Anneli Eriksson- Sundberg; SE FMB ; SE Helga Levin; SE Zetterberg Garzon Cecilia; SI Brescanski Simona; SI Erik Kern; SK Alexandra Pudmarcikova; SK Daniel Podhradský; SK Karolína Bulíkova; SK Lucia Kirinovičová; SK Lucia Zemanova; SK Mária Hudeková; SK Maria Trubenova; SK Matúš Dubovský; SK Michaela Gajdošová; SK Natalia Kotulakova; SK Štefánia Kruľová; SK Vladimír Bulík ; CH Agime Sheholli ; CH Alexander Zwahlen; CH Anja Schenk Noga; CH Jerome Chabbey; CH Lea Truttmann ; CH PR FMB ; CH Sarah Schnell ; IS Arni Gislason; IS Bergur Sigurjonsson; IS FMB ; IS Kolbeinn Atli Bjornsson; LI Daniel Salzgeber ; LI FMB ; LI Heinz Duenser ; LI Julia Frommelt; NO FMB; NO FMB 2

Cc: Amalie Molise Hallager; AT Ella MIADOK; BE Perm Rep Alexandre Faudon ; BE PR FMB ; CY Kkara Margarita; CZ Pankova Jitka; CZ Tomáš Hach ; DE Patrizia Wolf; DE PR ; DE PR 2; DK Anders Schlütter-Hvelplund; DK Maria Cecilie Krastrup; DK Morten Nykjær Krøjgaard ; EE; [email protected]; EL; EL Balopoulou Athina; FI Sanomat

Cc: Eue; FI Ville Simila; FR Mathieu Tartar; FR Nicolas De-maistre; HU Fabrik Otto; IE; IE Brien Henderson; IS Borg Viðarsdóttir Lilja; IT RPUE; LT Rita Skrebiskiene; LT Tania Griskiene; LU Ben Taleb Randa; MT Gatt Roberta; PL Alicja Szastko; PT Mariana Sotto Maior ; PT PR ; PT PR 2; PT Verónica Maria Haran Nogueira ; RO Ailenei Adrian Stefan; SE Cecilia Zetterberg-Garzon; SI Anja Jazbinsek; SI Jana Ristanovic; SI Nika PRISLANI; SI Nina Tovornik; SI Simona Brescanski; SI Stasa Nunic; SK Blanka Timurhan; SK PR

Subject: HOME-Funds/2025/47 - Launch of the call for expression of interest under the Specific Action “Support for border management capabilities including drones (UAS) and counter-drone measures (C-UAS)” under the BMVI BMVI/2025/SA/1.1.9

Attachments: Call for expression of interest BMVI 1.1.9.pdf; Annex I Requirements and standards.pdf; Annex II Non-binding guidance.pdf; Application form BMVI 1.1.9.docx; Budget form BMVI 1.1.9.xlsx

TÄHELEPANU! Tegemist on väljastpoolt asutust saabunud kirjaga. Tundmatu saatja korral palume linke ja faile mitte avada!

Dear Committee Members, Attached please find: HOME-Funds/2025/47 - Launch of the call for expression of interest under the Specific Action “Support for border management capabilities including drones (UAS) and counter- drone measures (C-UAS)” under the BMVI BMVI/2025/SA/1.1.9 With kind regards, the Secretariat of the Committee

European Commission Directorate-General Migration & Home Affairs HOME.E1: Funds Coordination Office LX46 05/058 | 46 Rue de Luxembourg | B-1049 Brussels | Belgium

2025-12-22 Voorust teavitamine.pdf

Piret Loorand

From: Piret Loorand Sent: esmaspäev, 22. detsember 2025 18:06 To: Tarmo Miilits; Krista Aas; Joosep Kaasik; Janek Mägi; Veiko Kommusaar; Kristian Pärt;

Paavo Mikson; Tairi Pallas; Alla Voinova; Eve Kalmus; Harry Kattai; Henry Timberg; Margit Ratnik; '[email protected]'

Cc: Aivi Kuivonen; Martin Eber Subject: Avatud on BMVI taotlusvoor "Support for border management capabilities

including drones (UAS) and counter-drone measures (C-UAS)" Attachments: Call for expression of interest BMVI 1.1.9.pdf; Annex I Requirements and

standards.pdf; Annex II Non-binding guidance.pdf; Application form BMVI 1.1.9.docx; Budget form BMVI 1.1.9.xlsx; Lisa 2 Erimeetme ja erakorralise abi toetu...docx

Importance: High

Tere DG HOME kuulutas täna välja BMVI erimeetme taotlusvooru nr BMVI/2025/SA/1.1.9 „Support for border management capabilities including drones (UAS) and counter-drone measures (C-UAS)“, mille kohta saatsime teile eelinfo 13. novembril. Vooru eesmärk on tugevdada EL välispiiri kontrollimise võimekust, fookus on maismaa- ja merepiiril, aga ka rahvusvahelistel lennujaamadel. Toetust saab küsida ühele või mitmele prioriteedile:

1. Expanding aerial surveillance capabilities with the purchase of UAS and C-UAS at external borders. 2. Integrating UAS and counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) into the national border surveillance

systems and that feed into the national and European situational pictures, for the purpose of improving situational awareness on non-cooperative and/or unauthorised use of UAS.

3. Supporting deployment of innovative technologies, methods and communication systems for the purpose of border control at external borders that feed into the national and European situational pictures, bearing in mind new hybrid threats directly impacting the management of the EU external borders.

Piiri kaitsmise eesmärgil on võimalik teha järgmist:

 Capacity building on the use of UAS and C-UAS (training and upskilling of sta , specialised teams in the border management authorities, etc.).

 Development of civilian border UAS platforms supporting border surveillance.  Upgrading already existing civilian UAS/C-UAS packages (e.g. with longer range cameras, radar, etc.).  Follow up and roll out of 2025 piloted prototypes and products for UAS and C-UAS developed under

Horizon (e.g. collaboration with Frontex and Member States currently involved with such projects).  Cooperation with stakeholders on UAS and C-UAS (private sector).  In order to ensure a wider scale integration and interoperability as a non-cost item the following could

also be included under the activities that could be covered to the extent relevant for this call: Cooperation with actors responsible for critical infrastructure and civil preparedness.

Toetatud on nii statsionaarse kui mobiilse varustuse soetamine, sh juurutamist toetava varustuse soetamine; IT-arendused ja integreerimine olemasolevatesse süsteemidesse; IT-süsteemid, infrastruktuur, tööks vajalik varustus; koolitused; vajalike partnerlustegevuste kulud. Oluline on taotluses kirjeldada terviklikku pilti: olemasolevat võimekust, mis on juba kasutusel, ja arendusplaane (nii neid, mille jaoks on raha juba olemas, kui neid, mille jaoks veel puudu).

Soetatav varustus ja süsteemid peavad olema kooskõlas lisaga I ja seadmed tuleb registreerida Frontexis. Kui on vaja erandit, siis see tuleb taotlusesse kirja panna: If any special circumstances apply, such as cases where the warranty of fixed large-scale surveillance equipment or systems (e.g. certain UAS or C-UAS) would become void if the equipment were moved or redeployed, or in case of fixed equipment that cannot be moved, this should be flagged in the application form. It should be communicated to the Agency in view of the bilateral negotiations (where potential solutions, including financial compensation or an agreement not to redeploy, fall under the discretion of the negotiating parties). Detailsemad tingimused on toodud lisatud dokumentides, palume need tähelepanekult läbi lugeda. Vooru tingimustest:

 Taotlusvooru eelarve kõikide liikmesriikide peale on 250 mln eurot.  Iga liikmesriik saab esitada ühe taotluse. Taotletava EL toetuse maht peab olema vahemikus 15-35

mln eurot (+ 10% riiklikku kaasfinantseeringut). Kui esitatakse taotlus koos mõne teise liikmesriigiga (viiakse näiteks läbi ühishange), saab EL toetuse maht olla kuni 50 mln eurot. EL toetus sisaldab tehnilist abi siseministeeriumile rahastu administreerimiseks.

 Tegevused peavad olema lõppenud ja tasutud hiljemalt 31.12.2029.  Projektidele kehtivad samad reeglid, mis teistele BMVI projektidele: tuleb arvestada põhiõigustega ja

horisontaalsete eeltingimustega; peab olema seos riigisiseste ja EL arengukavadega. Ajakava taotluse esitamiseks on järgmine:

26.02.2026 Viimane võimalus küsida EK-lt kirjalikult lisainfot

Küsimused lähevad Euroopa Komisjonile SiMi kaudu (saata inglise keeles aadressile [email protected])

09.03.2026 Lõplik taotlus VVOle: [email protected], koopia [email protected]

Palume täidetult saata kõik vajalikud vormid. Lisaks EK vormidele peab taotlus sisaldama ka horisontaalsete eeltingimuste täitmise kirjeldust (manuses)

03.04.2026 Taotluse esitamine EK-le PS Eesti esitab ainult ühe taotluse Okt 2026 Liikmesriike teavitatakse vooru

tulemustest

Täidetud taotlusvorm tuleb esitada SiM välisvahendite osakonnale (VVO) enne EK taotlusvooru kutses toodud tähtaega, hiljemalt 9. märtsiks 2026, sest tulenevalt EL määrusest saab taotluse EK-le esitada üksnes korraldusasutus, so SiM. SiM VVO peab enne taotluse esitamist EK-le hindama selle vastavust nõuetele. Samuti palume võimalikult varakult teavitada, kui plaanite osaleda partnerina teise liikmesriigi poolt esitatavas projektis.

Küsimuste korral mõtleme hea meelega kaasa! Piret Loorand nõunik Siseministeerium [email protected] +372 5828 2423

From: Piret Loorand Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2025 10:45 AM To: Tarmo Miilits <[email protected]>; Krista Aas <[email protected]>; Joosep Kaasik <[email protected]>; Janek Mägi <[email protected]>; Veiko Kommusaar <[email protected]>; Kristian Pärt <[email protected]>; Paavo Mikson

<[email protected]>; Tairi Pallas <[email protected]>; Alla Voinova <[email protected]>; Eve Kalmus <[email protected]>; Harry Kattai <[email protected]>; Henry Timberg <[email protected]>; Margit Ratnik <[email protected]>; '[email protected]' <[email protected]> Cc: Aivi Kuivonen <[email protected]> Subject: FW: HOME-Funds/2025/42 Pre-information note concerning an additional BMVI specific action call on border control capabilities - Update of the note on the calls to be launched under BMVI, AMIF and ISF in 2025, 2026 and 2027 Tere! Euroopa Komisjon valmistab ette BMVI erimeetme taotlusvooru, et liikmeriikidel oleks võimalik soetada Frontexi standarditele vastavat piirivalve varustust, sh droonid ja droonituvastus/- tõrjesüsteemid (drones (UAS) and counter-drone measures (C-UAS)). Kaasneb tavapärane kohustus kuni neljaks kuuks aastas saata varustus Frontexi ühisoperatsioonidele. Taotlusvooru eelarve on 250 miljonit, kandideerida saavad kõik liikmesriigid. Voor avatakse detsembris 2025. Vooru fookus (jätan inglise keelde, et mitte terminites eksida):

1. Expanding aerial surveillance capabilities at external borders with the purchase of UAS and C- UAS.

2. Integrating UAS and C-UAS into the national external border surveillance systems and EUROSUR, including for the purpose of improving situational awareness on hybrid threats and civilian based drone-neutralisation, i.e. to detect, identify, track, mitigate and neutralise uncrewed aerial threats/ non-cooperative drones at external borders.

3. Supporting deployment of innovative technologies, methods and communication systems for the purpose of border control at external borders bearing in mind the new hybrid threats.

Toetatakse järgmisi kulusid:

 Purchase of equipment (such as but not limited to UAS, UAS with C-UAS capabilities; sensors, radar to identify and detect, jammers, kinetic neutralisation measures, detection, tracking and identification software, etc).

 Purchase, customisation, and/or integration of C-UAS systems.  IT developments and integration of C-UAS into existing mobile or fixed systems.  IT and ICT systems, infrastructure, operating equipment.  Upgrades to communication systems for situational awareness and linking to EUROSUR.  Training and capacity building measures for border management authorities on effective use

of C-UAS.  Cost of partnership activities.

Detailsemad tingimused saame edastada, kui voor detsembris 2025 ametlikult avatakse. Taotluse koostamiseks on aega paar kuud (esialgsetel andmetel saab taotluse esitamise tähtaeg olema veebruaris/märtsis 2026), tempo on kiire. Seetõttu on huvi korral soovitav mõtete koondamist juba alustada. Taotluse koostamise eest vastutab toetuse taotleja, kuid taotluse saab Euroopa Komisjonile esitada ainult SiM. Kirja võib jagada. Heade soovidega Piret Loorand nõunik Siseministeerium

[email protected] +372 5828 2423

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2025 6:37 PM To: 'AT Alexander Payer' <[email protected]>; 'AT Astrid Kozak' <[email protected]>; 'AT Christina Trapp' <[email protected]>; 'AT Dominik Kacprzak' <[email protected]>; 'AT Edita Blazyte' <[email protected]>; 'AT Eike Neuer' <[email protected]>; 'AT FMB' <[email protected]>; 'AT FMB 2 ' <[email protected]>; 'AT Gudrun Pabst ' <[email protected]>; 'AT Jelena Ulrich' <[email protected]>; 'AT Kathrin Moser' <[email protected]>; 'AT Martin Francis Hiess' <Martin- [email protected]>; 'AT Muehlhans Thomas' <[email protected]>; 'AT Pauline Gschwendtner' <[email protected]>; 'AT Ratko Simic' <[email protected]>; 'AT Robert Jacso' <[email protected]>; 'AT Vanessa Reiner' <[email protected]>; 'AT Yasmina Pinjo' <[email protected]>; 'BE Dekerf Nele ' <[email protected]>; 'BE Ghelen Yannick' <[email protected]>; 'BE Irzycka Magdalena' <[email protected]>; 'BE Laevens Margareta ' <[email protected]>; 'BE Lazzarini Matteo ' <[email protected]>; 'BE Petričević Ivana' <[email protected]>; 'BE SHD AMIF-ISF ' <[email protected]>; 'BE Van Houcke Sofie ' <[email protected]>; 'BG Kindjova' <[email protected]>; 'BG Kushnev' <[email protected]>; 'BG Petkova Maya' <[email protected]>; 'CY Andia Savva ' <[email protected]>; 'CY Constantinou Doris' <[email protected]>; 'CY Elena Savvidou' <[email protected]>; 'CY Hadjieconomou Christina' <[email protected]>; 'CY Kyprianou Constantinos' <[email protected]>; 'CY Pissaridou Anna' <[email protected]>; 'CY Sophia Theodosiou ' <[email protected]>; 'CY Stella Christodoulidou: ' <[email protected]>; 'CZ Ondrej Houda' <[email protected]>; 'CZ Pankova Jitka' <[email protected]>; 'CZ Silvie Hortova' <[email protected]>; 'CZ Votava David' <[email protected]>; 'DE ' <[email protected]>; 'DE Christin Kellner' <[email protected]>; 'DE Daniel Muehlner' <[email protected]>; 'DE David Lohmann' <[email protected]>; 'DE FMB ' <[email protected]>; 'DE FMB 2' <[email protected]>; 'DE Friederike Von Andrian-Werburg' <Friederike.vonAndrian- [email protected]>; 'DE Heinz Mareike' <[email protected]>; 'DE Ina Schoneberg' <[email protected]>; 'DE ISF ' <[email protected]>; 'DE Julia Schulze' <[email protected]>; 'DE Karin Patock' <[email protected]>; 'DE Kowalewski Shatin' <[email protected]>; 'DE Lea Hürter' <[email protected]>; 'DE Lorentz Stephan' <[email protected]>; 'DE Mark Berges' <[email protected]>; 'DE Markus Lang' <[email protected]>; 'DE Matlik Uwe' <[email protected]>; 'DE Melanie Frisch' <[email protected]>; 'DE Michael Konther ' <[email protected]>; 'DE Nimke Anja' <[email protected]>; 'DK Gustav Vind' <[email protected]>; 'DK Larson Nonboe Morten' <[email protected]>; 'DK PERM REP Anders Schlütter-Hvelplund' <[email protected]>; 'DK Saroxb' <[email protected]>; Ave Osman <[email protected]>; Kristina Ots <[email protected]>; SIM_VVO_list <[email protected]>; Tairi Pallas <[email protected]>; 'EL George Kritsimas ' <[email protected]>; 'EL Konstantinos Tsagkas' <[email protected]>; 'EL Papadopoulos Theofanis' <[email protected]>; 'ES' <[email protected]>; 'ES Enrique Morales Arias' <[email protected]>; 'ES Fami' <[email protected]>; 'ES Leandro Javier Sayago González' <[email protected]>; 'ES MOYA VIGARA TATIANA LETICIA' <[email protected]>; 'ES Sandra Mena Molina ' <[email protected]>; 'FI Artsi Alanne' <[email protected]>; 'FI FMB' <[email protected]>; 'FI Kristiina Mauriala' <[email protected]>; 'FI Mari Helenius' <[email protected]>; 'FI Sanna Virtanen' <[email protected]>; 'FI Simila Ville' <[email protected]>; 'FI Sonja Lyytikainen' <[email protected]>; 'FI Virpi Karjalainen' <[email protected]>; 'FR' <[email protected]>; 'FR Corinne Buzutil' <[email protected]>; 'FR Florian Banizette' <[email protected]>; 'FR ISF' <dcis- [email protected]>; 'FR Zina Khafague' <[email protected]>; 'FT Delphine Palmer' <[email protected]>; 'HR Brač Jugović Monika' <[email protected]>; 'HR Dalibor Jurić' <[email protected]>; 'HR Kobescak Glavan Monika' <[email protected]>; 'HR Lidija Pentavec' <[email protected]>; 'HR Miklenic Novacic Ana' <[email protected]>; 'HR Ploskonka Nikola' <[email protected]>; 'HR Radović

Lucia' <[email protected]>; 'HR T Nincevic' <[email protected]>; 'HU Robert Ronto' <[email protected]>; 'HU Szilvia Szedo' <[email protected]>; 'HU Toth Judith' <[email protected]>; 'IT AMIF MA' <[email protected]>; 'IT AMIF Secretariat ' <[email protected]>; 'IT Carmelo Trattaro' <[email protected]>; 'IT Davide Milano' <[email protected]>; 'IT Laura Forcina' <[email protected]>; 'IT Maria Eleonora Corsaro' <[email protected]>; 'IT Maria Forte ' <[email protected]>; 'IT Segreteria Fondi Europei' <[email protected]>; 'IT Valentina Durso' <[email protected]>; 'LT Dovile Jegerskaite-Kinaitiene' <[email protected]>; 'LT Laura Pereviciute' <[email protected]>; 'LT Rasa Butkiene' <[email protected]>; 'LT Violeta Plotnikoviene' <[email protected]>; 'LU Adisa Calakovic' <[email protected]>; 'LU Carvas Claudia' <[email protected]>; 'LU Jeff Theisen' <[email protected]>; 'LU Léon Ludovicy' <[email protected]>; 'LU Linden Zoe' <[email protected]>; 'LU Philippe Donckel' <[email protected]>; 'LU Pietro Lombardini' <[email protected]>; 'LU Schickes Maria' <[email protected]>; 'LV Janis Zvilna' <[email protected]>; 'LV Marija Samoiļenko' <[email protected]>; 'LV Santa Balaško ' <[email protected]>; 'LV Sigita Šīre-Vismanta ' <[email protected]>; 'LV Sproge-Rimsa Santa' <[email protected]>; 'LV Vairis Stramkalis' <[email protected]>; 'MT Abigail Camilleri' <[email protected]>; 'MT Camilleri Anthony' <[email protected]>; 'NL H.J. Koller' <[email protected]>; 'NL J. Zinsmeester' <[email protected]>; 'NL M.C.J. Besseling' <[email protected]>; 'NL M.L.C. Heikens' <[email protected]>; 'NL M.W.J. Craenen' <[email protected]>; 'NL W.Van Walsem' <[email protected]>; 'PL Kaczorowski Maciej' <[email protected]>; 'PL Dargiel Katarzyna' <[email protected]>; 'PL Joanna Skalska' <[email protected]>; 'PL Kasprzyk Mariusz' <[email protected]>; 'PT Carillho Ricardo' <[email protected]>; 'PT Carlos Miguel Aleixo Dantas Aveiro ' <[email protected]>; 'PT Luis Castilho' <[email protected]>; 'PT Luís Filipe Figueiredo' <[email protected]>; 'PT Maria José Sobral de Oliveira' <[email protected]>; 'PT Sofia Pereira: ' <[email protected]>; 'PT Susana Monteiro' <[email protected]>; 'RO Adrian Ailenei ' <[email protected]>; 'RO Bratanov Crina' <[email protected]>; 'RO Daniela Florea' <[email protected]>; 'RO MA' <[email protected]>; 'RO Turcanu Andrei Iulian' <[email protected]>; 'SE Anna Svensson' <[email protected]>; 'SE Anneli Eriksson-Sundberg' <anneli.eriksson- [email protected]>; 'SE FMB ' <[email protected]>; 'SE Helga Levin' <[email protected]>; 'SE Zetterberg Garzon Cecilia' <[email protected]>; 'SI Brescanski Simona' <[email protected]>; 'SI Erik Kern' <[email protected]>; 'SK Alexandra Pudmarcikova' <[email protected]>; 'SK Daniel Podhradský' <[email protected]>; 'SK Karolína Bulíkova' <[email protected]>; 'SK Lucia Kirinovičová' <[email protected]>; 'SK Lucia Zemanova' <[email protected]>; 'SK Mária Hudeková' <[email protected]>; 'SK Maria Trubenova' <[email protected]>; 'SK Matúš Dubovský' <[email protected]>; 'SK Michaela Gajdošová' <[email protected]>; 'SK Natalia Kotulakova' <[email protected]>; 'SK Štefánia Kruľová' <[email protected]>; 'SK Vladimír Bulík ' <[email protected]>; 'CH Agime Sheholli ' <[email protected]>; 'CH Alexander Zwahlen' <[email protected]>; 'CH Anja Schenk Noga' <[email protected]>; 'CH Jerome Chabbey' <[email protected]>; 'CH Lea Truttmann ' <[email protected]>; 'CH PR FMB ' <[email protected]>; 'CH Sarah Schnell ' <[email protected]>; 'IS Arni Gislason' <[email protected]>; 'IS Bergur Sigurjonsson' <[email protected]>; 'IS FMB ' <[email protected]>; 'IS Kolbeinn Atli Bjornsson' <[email protected]>; 'LI Daniel Salzgeber ' <[email protected]>; 'LI FMB ' <[email protected]>; 'LI Heinz Duenser ' <[email protected]>; 'LI Julia Frommelt' <[email protected]>; 'NO FMB' <[email protected]>; 'NO FMB 2' <[email protected]> Cc: 'Amalie Molise Hallager' <[email protected]>; 'AT Ella MIADOK' <[email protected]>; 'BE Perm Rep Alexandre Faudon ' <[email protected]>; 'BE PR FMB ' <[email protected]>; 'CY Kkara Margarita' <[email protected]>; 'CZ Pankova Jitka' <[email protected]>; 'CZ Tomáš Hach ' <[email protected]>; 'DE Patrizia Wolf' <[email protected]>; 'DE PR ' <[email protected]>; 'DE PR 2' <[email protected]>; 'DK Lambert Oxbøll Sarah' <[email protected]>; 'DK Maria Cecilie Krastrup' <[email protected]>; 'DK Tina Birksø Bækdahl ' <[email protected]>; 'EE' <[email protected]>; [email protected]; 'EL' <jai@rp- grece.be>; 'EL Balopoulou Athina' <[email protected]>; 'FI Sanomat Eue' <[email protected]>; 'FI Ville Simila' <[email protected]>; 'FR Mathieu Tartar' <[email protected]>; 'FR Nicolas De-maistre' <[email protected]>; 'HU Fabrik Otto' <[email protected]>; 'IS Borg Viðarsdóttir Lilja' <[email protected]>; 'IT RPUE' <[email protected]>; 'LT Rita Skrebiskiene' <[email protected]>; 'LT Tania Griskiene' <[email protected]>; 'LU Ben Taleb Randa' <[email protected]>; 'MT Gatt Roberta' <[email protected]>; 'PL Alicja Szastko' <[email protected]>; 'PT Mariana Sotto Maior ' <[email protected]>; 'PT PR '

<[email protected]>; 'PT PR 2' <[email protected]>; 'PT Verónica Maria Haran Nogueira ' <[email protected]>; 'RO Ailenei Adrian Stefan' <[email protected]>; 'SE Cecilia Zetterberg-Garzon' <cecilia.zetterberg- [email protected]>; 'SI Anja Jazbinsek' <[email protected]>; 'SI Jana Ristanovic' <[email protected]>; 'SI Nika PRISLANI' <[email protected]>; 'SI Nina Tovornik' <[email protected]>; 'SI Simona Brescanski' <[email protected]>; 'SI Stasa Nunic' <[email protected]>; 'SK Blanka Timurhan' <[email protected]>; 'SK PR' <[email protected]> Subject: HOME-Funds/2025/42 Pre-information note concerning an additional BMVI specific action call on border control capabilities - Update of the note on the calls to be launched under BMVI, AMIF and ISF in 2025, 2026 and 2027 TÄHELEPANU! Tegemist on väljastpoolt asutust saabunud kirjaga. Tundmatu saatja korral palume linke ja faile mitte avada!

Dear Committee Members, We are resending this message as there was a technical issues and the message was not sent via the Committee Functional Mailbox (the content remains unchanged). Attached please find note and annex: HOME-Funds/2025/42 Pre-information note concerning an additional BMVI specific action call on border control capabilities - Update of the note on the calls to be launched under BMVI, AMIF and ISF in 2025, 2026 and 2027 With kind regards, the Secretariat of the Committee

European Commission Directorate-General Migration & Home Affairs HOME.E1: Funds Coordination Office LX46 05/058 | 46 Rue de Luxembourg | B-1049 Brussels | Belgium

Annex I Requirements and standards.pdf

Annex I – Requirements and standards for the technical assessment

CONTENTS

A. CONCEPT .......................................................................................................... 2

B. TARGETS AND REQUIREMENTS ................................................................. 4

1. Adequacy ......................................................................................................... 4

1.1. General .................................................................................................. 4

1.2. Environmental Conditions ..................................................................... 8

1.3. Interoperability ...................................................................................... 9

2. Availability .................................................................................................... 10

2.1. Strategic ............................................................................................... 10

2.2. Operational and Tactical ...................................................................... 11

3. Affordability .................................................................................................. 12

4. Adaptability ................................................................................................... 12

5. Accountability ............................................................................................... 12

5.1. Quality ................................................................................................. 12

5.2. Sustainability ....................................................................................... 13

5.3. Safety, Security, Health and Compliance ............................................ 14

A. CONCEPT

In order to further accelerate the insertion of Uncrewed Systems of Systems across the

land, sea and air domains, the concept seeks to reap the fruit of the successful

demonstrations by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (hereafter,

Agency) to date on low and medium altitude systems while using the opportunity for

the Agency to pursue the state-of-the-art high-altitude systems.

Together these seamless interoperable systems will gradually pave the way for a

comprehensive - network-enabled border and securely connected – surveillance capability

round the clock, ensuring persistent large-area surveillance coverage at the strategic

level, as well as re-deployable operational and tactical capabilities to adapt to the

changes in operational needs and operational areas.

NATO differentiates between types of uncrewed airborne systems according to

weight (1).

• Class I covers the sub-tactical and tactical levels, using platforms of less than 150 kg, operating at altitudes up to 1,5 km with a mission radius of up to 50 km Line of Sight.

• Class II covers tactical and operational levels, with platforms ranging from 150 kg to 600 kg, at altitudes of up to 5,5 km and a mission radius of up to 200 km Line of Sight.

• Class III addresses strategic levels, operating with platforms heavier than 600 kg, providing surveillance at altitudes ranging from 14 km to 20 km with unlimited mission radius Beyond Line of Sight.

Unfortunately, classification according to weight is not suitable for the scope of this

call. However, altitude and mission radius parameters are relevant and therefore for the

purpose of conveying a comprehensive explanation of the types of platforms that can be

used to fulfil the requirements of this call, the NATO classes have been cross-referenced.

Examples of platforms that are either available on the market or are maturing include (but

are not limited to) the following.

o High Altitude – Long Endurance Large Area

A comprehensive overview of platforms can be found in the Agency’s Research

Study on High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites (2) and is briefly summarised below.

These platforms operate in higher airspace above 13 km and correspond to NATO

Class III in terms of operating altitude and mission radius.

▪ Lighter-Than-Air platforms are elevated by using buoyant gas and are typically in the form of ballons or airships. Then can be tethered to the ground or come with on board propulsion systems. Their payload can be high and thus accommodate several different types of sensors and communication systems. Their operating endurance is high but the maturity for operating at high altitudes is low while the estimated cost

(1) NATO Standard AJP-3.3 – Allied Joint Doctrine for Air and Space Operations

(2)https://www.frontex.europa.eu/assets/EUresearchprojects/2023/FX_HAPS_WP1_-

_Market_Report_V4.pdf

thus is high as there is still a degree of development needed to be commercialised.

▪ Heavier-Than-Air platforms are based on a fixed wing aircraft design. The wingspans are far wider than that of a conventional aircraft. The platforms are lightweight and thus most likely can only carry a payload of less than 10 kg, limiting the sensor capability. Endurance can range from a week up to several months. The platforms come with ground stations and in total are relatively inexpensive. They have been tested by the defence sector for over a decade and operate using photovoltaics. Recommend modular payload bays to switch between EO/IR, comms relay, or RF sensors.

o Medium Altitude – Long Endurance Medium Area

These platforms operate in the commercial airspace, at between 2 km up to 13 km

and correspond to NATO Class II in terms of operating altitude and mission radius.

The platforms are available on the market albeit the supply base in the European

Union is still developing. The platforms are typically Heavier-than-Air using either

a fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft design. The Agency has been operating

fixed-wing aircraft for some years through its full-service contracts. Depending on

the size they can carry multi-sensor payload are more cost-effective to operate and

have longer endurance compared to the corresponding crewed aircraft.

o Low Altitude - Long Endurance Small Area

Balloons and airships have long endurance and are typical platforms used for this

purpose, which corresponds to NATO Class I in terms of operating altitude of up

to 2 km and mission radius. The Agency has successfully piloted systems that use

a tether. They are cost-effective and easily re-deployable. Require integration with

ground control and autonomous winch/release capability for fast deployment.

o Low Altitude - Medium Endurance Small Area

Rotary wing platforms, either with single or multiple rotors, fall under NATO Class

I, are readily available on the market and have seen a proliferation of use both in law

enforcement and defence as well as for civilian purposes. They are relatively

inexpensive, and the larger sizes can carry multiple sensors. Fixed wing platforms

also exist and typically come with longer endurance but cannot take-off vertically.

B. TARGETS AND REQUIREMENTS

1. ADEQUACY

1.1. General

Target

European multinational comprehensive surveillance capability utilising platforms with appropriate payload that can be deployed at different altitudes from sea surface to space complementing one another.

Requirements

1.1.1(1) Applications could address the following types of Capability Platforms

o High Altitude – Long Endurance Large Area operating at an altitude

corresponding to Higher Airspace

o Medium Altitude - Long Endurance Medium Area operating at an altitude

corresponding to Commercial Airspace

o Low Altitude – Long Endurance Small Area operating at an altitude

corresponding to the Urban Air Mobility Corridor

o Low Altitude – Medium Endurance Small Area operating at an altitude

corresponding to the Urban Air Mobility Corridor

1.1.1(2) Equipment for Work package purchased under this call must be able to be operated

remotely and include the necessary ground Command, Control and Support capabilities

from which captured surveillance data can be monitored and stored.

1.1.1(3) All Airborne Work packages purchased under this call must:

• Incorporate dual navigation systems that are enabled by the Global Navigation

Satellite System -

o Galileo together with the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay

Service;

o The Global Positioning System.

• Be capable of operating when deployed in remote operational environments that

feature degraded coverage of the Global Navigation Satellite System.

1.1.2 Airborne High Altitude – Long Endurance Large Area Surveillance

Target

Work package able to provide strategic wide area surveillance, land and sea, for extended

periods of time, enhancing situational awareness.

Requirements

1.1.2 (1) The Work package revolving around a High-Altitude equipment platform must

at a minimum be able to carry the necessary payload while sustaining the operational

altitude in Higher Airspace in order to at least be able to:

• Navigate and sense-and-avoid collisions;

• Conduct electro-optical surveillance in line with requirement 1.1.3 (2).

1.1.2 (2) The platform must be able to endure continuous operation for at least 14 days.

1.1.3 Airborne Medium Altitude – Long Endurance Medium Area

Target

Work package able to provide operational medium area surveillance, for both land and sea,

for long durations of time, enhancing situational awareness

Requirements

1.1.3 (1) Operating in Commercial Airspace, the Work package revolving around a Medium Altitude equipment platform must:

• Be able to conduct flights in any class of airspace rules under Visual Flight Rules and Instrumental Flight Rules;

• Have a flight endurance of minimum 20 consecutive hours when configured for the minimum payload described below;

• Be able to carry a payload of minimum 230 kg;

• Be able to fly both at night and day;

• Be able to take-off at least 15 kts of crosswind

1.1.3 (2) The minimum payload must include capabilities to sense-and-avoid while

navigating in the skies as well as those addressing core capabilities

• Maritime Surveillance Radar operating in the X-band, designed for air-to-air and air-to-ground target detection, with automatic target tracking, Ground Moving Target Indication and adequate detection capabilities at sea state 3 of small and medium size targets.

• Electro-Optical sensors cued with the Maritime Surveillance Radar, which includes:

o Gyroscopic stabilization of the turret enabling sufficient pan and tilt range as well as adequate high and low slew rates;

o Thermal imaging operating in the mid-wave Infrared spectral band with adequate zooming capability, resolution and Field of View range;

o Optical imaging in colour with adequate zooming capability, resolution and Field of View Range;

o Colour spotting with adequate resolution and Field of View.

• Dual navigation systems as required by 1.1.2 (1) and an Automatic Identification System Receiver.

• Very High Frequency maritime band radio and Global System for Mobile Communications interfaces.

• Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons detection capability.

1.1.4 Airborne Low Altitude – Long Endurance Small Area

Target

Work package able to provide tactical small area surveillance, for both land and coast,

from a static location for long durations of time, enhancing situational awareness.

Requirements

1.1.4 (1) The Work package must comprise a static Low Altitude equipment platform that

is tethered to a ground Command, Control and Support capability to enable secure

communication, energy supply and stationary positioning.

1.1.4 (2) It must be configured to:

• Be elevated through the use of buoyant gas in e.g. an airship or balloon, or a propelled platform;

• Have an elevation height of at least the range 100 m to 1500 m with an endurance of at least 7 consecutive days;

• Acquire data from on board -

o Electro-optical sensor systems for day and night vision;

o Electromagnetic sensor systems;

• Enable tracking using –

o Automatic tracking based on sensor data;

o Vessel tracking based on the Automatic Identification System;

• Adequate anchoring in the ground ensuring that the Platform is adequately secured in the ground in order to ensure safe operation.

• Allow for operational flexibility through the reconfiguration of sensor payloads based on evolving tactical requirements;

• Be easily re-deployable.

1.1.5 Airborne Low Altitude – Medium Endurance Small Area

Target

Work package able to provide tactical small area surveillance, for both land and coast, for

medium durations of time, enhance situational awareness.

Requirements

1.1.5 (1) The inherent equipment and systems under this Work package must comprise a

remotely operated mobile platform, able to take-off and land vertically in accordance with

the applicable Technical Standard (3) for Vertical Take-Off and Landing Remotely Piloted

Aircraft Systems.

1.1.7 Command, Control and Support

Target

Work package able to feed the tactical situational awareness picture by capturing visible

and non-visible information, statically, over a long period of time from a particular location

while being easily re-deployable.

Requirements

1.1.7 (1) All airborne Work packages must come with Command, Control and Support

enabling:

• Remote command, control and operation of the equipment and systems;

• Tethering for the purpose of energy supply and communications where required

• Data fusion (from both on board sensors and from other sources), discrimination

processing and display;

• Adequate electrical energy supply and inherent quality to operate autonomously in

remote areas without access to the electric grid, drawing on developments in renewable

and alternative energy supply systems;

• Adequate lighting in accordance with EN 12464-1:2021 (4);

• Secure communication systems (including for Satellite Communication), with capacity

for live streaming;

• Adequate weather protection and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems

(HVAC) to ensure good overall working conditions;

Adequate workplace conditions for the operators to perform their tasks compliant with

relevant EU legislation based on European Framework Directive (1989/391/EEC) (5) and

its derivatives as well as established standards such as ISO 6385:2016 (6) and DEF-

STAN 00-25 (7) where relevant.

1.2. Environmental Conditions

Target

(3) Management Board Decision 51/2021, Technical Standards for Aerial Equipment, TS-2021-002: 1) PDF

– TT-09-21-346-EN-N; ISBN 978-92-9467-033-5; doi: 10.2819/966225. 2) FPI – 21.0078

(4) EN 12464-1:2021 Light and Lighting - Lighting of Work Places - Part 1: Indoor Work Places

(5) Council Directive 89/391/EEC on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety

and health of workers at work

(6) ISO 6385:2016 Ergonomics Principles in the Design of Work Systems

(7) DEF-STAN 00-25 Human Factors for Designers of Equipment

Work Packages able to operate in all relevant operational areas pertinent to the external

borders, the pre-frontier areas and applicable Third Countries.

Requirements

1.2.1 (1) The Work packages must be designed for use in the following natural

environmental conditions equivalent to those described in DEF-STAN 00-35 (8).

• A2: Hot Dry

• A3: Intermediate

• C0: Mild Cold

• C1: Intermediate Cold

• C2: Cold

1.2.1 (2) Measures must be taken to ensure that the respective Airborne Work package can

adequately sustain operation with induced environmental conditions taking into account

e.g. shock and vibration equivalent to what is given by DEF-STAN 00-35 and electro-

magnetic environmental effects in line with MIL-STD 464 (9) or equivalent.

1.3. Interoperability

Target

Work packages seamlessly interoperable with existing ones as well as with the operational

theatres, facilitating market response to subsequent procurement procedures.

Requirements

1.3.1 (1) The Technical Specifications for the purchase of the Work packages under this

call should, wherever possible, make reference to internationally established standards to

enhance clarity.

1.3.1 (2) The Technical Specifications must also address interoperability aspects related to

deployments in the Agency’s operational activities for e.g. energy supply and

communications.

2. AVAILABILITY

2.1. Strategic

Target

(8) DEF-STAN 00-35 Environmental Handbook for Defence Materiel

(9) MIL-STD 464 Electromagnetic Environmental Effects – Requirements for Systems

Availability for deployment in the Agency’s operational activities of the Work packages

ensured over time.

Requirements

2.1.1 Key enabling requirements for e.g. crews, training and logistics – effectively

addressing all the Agency’s Capability Lines of Development (10) - must be defined and

timely actioned in order to ensure that the equipment purchased under this call is made

available to the Technical Equipment Pool and subsequently deployed once the acquisition

process has been concluded.

2.1.2 The Technical Specifications for the equipment to be purchased under this call must include requirements that mitigate risks to the Security of Supply, in particular with regard to:

• Supply chain dependencies stemming from outside the European Union in relation to e.g. –

o Intellectual Property rights;

o Energy supply, and in particular dependencies on fossil fuels;

o Raw materials;

o Technologies and techniques;

o Components;

o Export control restrictions;

o Possible disruptions as a result of trade wars, pandemics and crisis including armed conflicts.

• Single sourcing both from within and outside the European Union;

• Existing and possible future adverse Foreign Direct Investments in the different parts of the supply chains;

• Risks linked to the integrity of information especially for acquired and stored surveillance and positioning data in the context of security risks linked to the Internet-of-Things and the use of cloud-services, as well as those linked to compliance with applicable European Union law for Fundamental Rights and Data Protection;

• Evolving cyber threats.

2.1.3 Once the equipment purchased under this call has been registered in the Technical

Equipment Pool, any relevant changes to the Lifecycle Management Plans for the whole

(10) Management Board Decision 16/2024 on the Approval of the Capability Roadmap of the European

Border and Coast Guard: (https://prd.frontex.europa.eu/wp-content/uploads/mb-decision-

16_2024_capability-roadmap-of-the-ebcg-1.pdf): Doctrine, Policies, and Concepts; Culture,

Organisation, and Leadership; Science, Technology, and Innovation; Personnel, Competencies, and

Learning; Equipment, Systems, and Support; Logistics, Facilities, and Infrastructure; Safety, Security,

and Health; Interoperability, Architectures, and Standards.

Work package that may affect the projected multiannual operational availability will be

shared with the Agency e.g. during the Annual Bilateral Negotiations.

2.1.4 The Technical Specifications drafted for the equipment to be purchased under this

call must ensure that there will be no contractual constraints, including in relation to

warranty or similar, for its operation in the Agency’s operational activities.

2.1.5 Equipment lifespan must be indicated when registering the equipment in the

Technical Equipment Pool.

2.2. Operational and Tactical

Target

Following its registration in the Technical Equipment Pool, equipment made available for

the Agency’s operations.

Requirements

2.2.1 Integrated Logistic Support for the entire lifecycle must be employed.

2.2.2 Trainings relevant to the operation and sustainment of the acquired equipment and

the overall Work package must be updated and delivered throughout the lifecycle.

2.2.3 Measures must be taken to optimise preventive – calendar or condition-based –

maintenance of the equipment as well as spare parts management for both preventive and

corrective maintenance, exploring emerging opportunities stemming from local additive

manufacturing.

3. AFFORDABILITY

Target

Through-life management approach to costs adopted, to ensure affordability of the Work

packages over time.

Requirements

3.1 During the early stages of the action, when assessing options and defining the scope

and requirements for the Work packages, a thorough cost-effectiveness analysis must be

performed in line with existing best practices such as the European Commission’s

Economic Appraisal Vademecum 2021-2027 (11), which provides the rationale for opting

for cost-effectiveness analysis as opposed to cost-benefit analysis.

(11) Economic Appraisal Vademecum 2021-2027 – General Principles and Sector Applications

(https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/guides/vademecum_2127/vademecum_2127_en.pdf)

3.2 Lifecycle costs must be calculated and updated regularly during the course of the

action, adhering to international standards such as ISO 15288 (12), NATO TR-SAS-

054 (13) or equivalent.

4. ADAPTABILITY

Target

Work packages able to be adapted to emerging needs throughout their lifecycle within a

reasonable set of change requirements.

Requirements

4.1 A modular approach to the design of the Work packages must be employed in order to

enable upgrades, including through refurbishments and retrofits, throughout their lifecycle.

4.2 Particular emphasis must be made to the interfaces of the Work packages, adhering to

relevant international technical standards.

5. ACCOUNTABILITY

5.1. Quality

Target

Sound management of the project as well as adherence to legislation and management of

quality.

Requirements

5.1.1 Established international project management standards must be applied, including

during the purchase phase - i.e. the European Commission’s PM2, PMBOK, PRINCE2 or

equivalent.

5.1.2 ISO 9001 (14) certification must be required for all contracted suppliers.

5.2. Sustainability

Target

Principles of sustainability employed to increase operational effectiveness and overall

strategic autonomy while mitigating adverse effects to collateral, including the

environment, during all phases of the lifecycle.

Requirements

(12) ISO 15288 Systems and Software Engineering – System Life Cycle Process

(13) TR-SAS-054 Methods and Models for Life Cycle Costing

(14) ISO 9001 – Quality Management System

5.2.1 Procurement and lifecycle management of equipment purchased under this call must

draw on the guidance of ISO 20400 (15) and ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-1 (16) other applicable

standards or best practices such as e.g. ISO 14001 (17), ISO 14090 (18), ISO 26000 (19),

ISO 50001 (20) in relation to:

• Overall lifecycle sustainability including on energy efficiency, consumption and fossil fuel dependency, materials consumed, pollutants emitted, and climate- and ecology impairments, from manufacturing through operation when in service to decommissioning and disposal;

• Moral and ethical aspects taking into account both the supply chain and in-service use of the Work packages throughout their lifecycle;

• Risks associated with the supply chain, including sourcing outside the EU (in particular single sourcing), taking into account risks in relation to propriety of intellectual property, production, integration and Third Country export restrictions

• Dependencies on Economic Operators with a high degree of Foreign Direct Investments or dependency from outside the EU, which may pose a security risk to the lifecycle management and subsequent operational availability of the Work packages.

• Where possible, fostering the growth and innovation potential of Economic Operators based in the European Union.

5.3. Safety, Security, Health and Compliance

Target

Mitigated risks to safety, security and health.

Requirements

5.3.1 Established System Safety Management standards must be applied, e.g. SM-

0001 (21), MIL STD 882 (22), H SystSäk (23) or equivalent, to mitigate safety risks

associated with the design of the equipment/overall Work packages and systems purchased

under this call across their whole lifecycle, e.g. adversely affecting both the Work packages

– hardware, software and personnel – and collateral.

(15) ISO 20400 - Sustainable Procurement — Guidance

(16) ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-1:2024 Systems and Software Engineering — Life Cycle Management

(17) ISO 14001 – Environmental Management Systems

(18) ISO 14090 – Adaptation to Climate Change

(19) ISO 26000 – Social Responsibility

(20) ISO 500001 – Energy Management

(21) SMS Standard (SM-0001) - International Industry Standard Implementing a Safety Management System

in Design, Manufacturing & Maintenance Organisations

(22) MIL-STD-882 - System Safety

(23) HSystSäk - Handbook System Safety

5.3.2 Measures must be taken to mitigate security risks of the equipment purchased under

this call as part of a Work package in terms of hardware, software and information

integrity.

5.3.3 ISO 45000 (24) must be adhered to when operating the Work packages.

5.3.4 Airborne equipment and systems must comply with other relevant legislation and

international standards, specifically in relation to materials, safety and operation, such as

EU Regulations 2019/947 (25) and 2019/945 (26), ISO 17717 (27) and ISO 21384-3(28).

5.3.5 Cybersecurity measures must be taken in compliance with the Directive concerning

measures for a high common level of security of network and information systems across

the Union (29).

(24) ISO 45000 Occupational Health and Safety

(25) Regulation (EU) 2019/947 on the Rules and Procedures for the Operation of Unmanned Aircraft

(26) Regulation (EU) 2019/945 on Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Third Country Operators of Unmanned

Aircraft Systems

(27) ISO 17717 Meteorological Balloons

(28) ISO 21384-3 Unmanned Aircraft Systems

(29) Directive (EU) 2016/1148 of the European Parliament and the Council of 6 July 2016 Concerning

Measures for a High Common Level of Security of Network and Information Systems Across the Union

Annex II Non-binding guidance.pdf

Annex II

Non-binding guidance and reference documents for the technical assessment

of UAS/C-UAS solutions

This Annex provides non-binding guidance and reference documents to support the preparation

and technical assessment of the applications. Only technical standards established under Articles

16 and 64 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1896 (where applicable) are mandatory. Any tender

specifications, Terms of Reference, or “rules of contest” referenced below are provided for

background/examples only and do not constitute mandatory standards for this call.

Part 1

The Commission has promoted the implementation of several actions planned under the October

2023 Communication on countering threats posed by drones1, in the framework of the 2022

Communication on Drone Strategy 2.0.2

These actions include, but not limit to: a dedicated group of Member States experts on drone

incidents; a database on drone incidents; the upgrade of the Commission’s Joint Research Centre’s

Living Lab for testing counter-drone systems; regular technical reports on available C-UAS

technologies for drone detection, tracking, identification, and neutralization; counter-drone

training for law enforcement authorities; mapping of Member States’ laws and procedures

regarding the use of C-UAS; and common counter-drone testing harmonised methodologies

and voluntary standards.3

Regarding this last action, the EU is promoting, through the EU-funded COURAGEOUS

(“Building a common understanding of the effectiveness of counter-UAS solutions”) Consortium,

the development of harmonised C-UAS standards, testing methodology and voluntary

performance requirements. These include C-UAS system performance requirements and

metrics in a range of civil security use case scenarios (including the protection of land borders,

1 COM(2023) 659 final 2 COM(2022) 652 final 3 Several of these actions were developed also through projects COURAGEOUS and COURAGEOUS2

(Building a common understanding of the effectiveness of counter-UAS solutions), co-funded by the EU

through the Internal Security Fund-Police and the Internal Security Fund under Grants 101034655 and

101190646, see https://courageous-isf.eu/

maritime borders and airports); and the CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) 18150:2024

“Unmanned aircraft systems – Counter UAS – Testing Methodology”. 4

Under the current call, MS are invited to refer to the following standards: C-UAS system

performance requirements and metrics5 from the EU-funded COURAGEOUS (“Building a

common understanding of the effectiveness of counter-UAS solutions”), that can be found here

https://www.cencenelec.eu/media/CEN-CENELEC/CWAs/ICT/cwa-18150.pdf

Part 2

1. Frontex guidance/reference documents

For any UAS that are not covered by Annex I to this call and all C-UAS (6) capabilities this

guidance - could be considered when preparing the application.

Applicants may consult the following Frontex reference documents and examples of past

pilots/procurements to support the drafting of technical specifications as a source of inspiration.

• Frontex: Reference Architecture for European Border Surveillance

25.0178_European_Border_Surveillance_v3.pdf

2. Examples of past Frontex tenders/pilots

• Shipborne VTOL UAS deployment with data fusion and integration services

FRONTEX/2025/OP/0050

Where to find: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-

tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/tender-details/fb3d33fd-fb15-43f3-

8b10-82353d6a002d-CN

Source: EU Funding & Tenders Portal

• Trial of remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) for long endurance maritime aerial

surveillance.

Frontex/OP/800/2017/JL.

Where to find: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-

tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/tender-details/2945

4 https://www.cencenelec.eu/media/CEN-CENELEC/CWAs/ICT/cwa-18150.pdf

5 [extracted from] Deliverable 3.2.2 of project COURAGEOUS, funded by the European Union’s Internal

Security Fund Police under Grant Agreement 101034655 6 Interceptor drones are considered only as a part of C-UAS capability and these do not need to meet

mandatory requirements listed in the Annex I, only Annex II apply.

Source: EU Funding & Tenders Portal

• Trial of Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Remotely Piloted Aircraft System

(RPAS) for Multi-domain Aerial Surveillance

Frontex/2022/OP/1050/JL

Where to find: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-

tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/tender-details/12447

Source: EU Funding & Tenders Portal

• Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) for Medium Altitude Long Endurance

Maritime Aerial Surveillance

FRONTEX/OP/888/2019/JL/CG

Where to find: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-

tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/tender-details/5444

Source: EU Funding & Tenders Portal

• The new FWC Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (Medium Altitude Long Endurance)

for Maritime Surveillance Services

FRONTEX/2024/OP/0009

Where to find: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-

tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/tender-details/acc779af-00e9-4487-

a475-2578220559ab-CN?%2523anchorDocuments=

Source: EU Funding & Tenders Portal (europa.eu)

• Pilot Project for services of tactical land border and coastal surveillance with

Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), long endurance and reduced logistic

footprint – Bulgaria, May - July 2025

Where to find: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-

tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/tender-details/6b620333-dd23-4a7b-

91fe-896955d88bdc-

CN?order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate&keywords=land%2

0border&isExactMatch=true&cftPartyLegalEntityId=FRONTEX

Source: EU Funding & Tenders Portal | EU Funding & Tenders Portal | EU Funding &

Tenders Portal…

• C-UAS Prize Contest: https://www.frontex.europa.eu/innovation/research-and-

innovation/prize-contests/c-uas-prize-contest-sFXJdl

C-UAS Adversarial Testing and Analysis Services EU Funding & Tenders Portal:

https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/tender-

details/513ade28-34eb-4b3a-8523-915df6df4ddd-CN#anchorDocuments

Rules of Contest:

https://www.frontex.europa.eu/assets/Prize_Award_Contest/Prize_award_C_UAS/Rules_

of_contest_C-UAS_Prize_Contest.pdf

From the Rules of the Frontex Prize Contest on Counter-Unmanned Aircraft

Systems we would highlight for your kind attention particularly the below part on

Metrics (3.3.2. Phase 2 award criteria) for Evaluation of the C-UAS solution

effectiveness:

- Neutralisation Capability: The ability of the solution to neutralize the UAV

threat. This includes disrupting its flight or its ability to perform unauthorized

missions (e.g., simulated surveillance or smuggling scenarios) or completely

disabling its flight electronics, software, or physical components (in part or in

total).

- Neutralization Range: The maximum effective range for neutralizing a

target UAV, tested at various altitudes and speeds.

- Precision: The ability to neutralize only the designated target UAV without

affecting friendly UAVs, decoy UAVs in a swarm, or interfering with local

infrastructure (such as critical communications). The solution must operate in

ISM frequency bands for UAV control, telemetry, video feed and GNSS

positioning, with configurable power output and direction.

- Single and Multi-Target Neutralization: The ability to neutralize multiple

UAVs simultaneously.

- UAV Compatibility: The solution’s effectiveness against various UAV

types, including off-the-shelf (e.g., DJI) and custom-made models. It should

demonstrate effectiveness against UAVs equipped with:

▪ Electromagnetic shielding

▪ Resistance to high energy effector systems

▪ Low or no electromagnetic emissions

▪ Capabilities to function in GNSS-denied environments using alternative

navigation methods (e.g., visual odometry or inertial navigation systems).

- Deployment mobility: Classification of the solution as portable, mobile,

deployable, or fixed, and its adaptability for various deployment scenarios.

Metrics for Evaluation of the solution efficiency:

- Operational Readiness: Time required to set up the system, manpower

needs, including calibration, and bring it to full operational state.

- Readiness Time: Time taken for a deployed solution to transition from an off

state to an operational state.

- Response Time: Time required to neutralize a UAV target within the

system’s effective range (measured from target acquisition to the disruption

or neutralization effect).

- Logistical Footprint and Power Requirements: Assessment of the

solution’s power autonomy (e.g., battery life or local power dependency), and

dependence on local infrastructure.

- Operational Efficiency: The number of operators and support staff required,

the operational workload, and ease of use. Fully autonomous solutions will

receive higher ratings.

- Human-Machine Interface: The user-friendliness of the interface, including

visibility of equipment status and ease of adjusting frequencies, power output,

direction, and neutralization modes.

Metrics for Evaluation of the solution reliability and resilience:

- Reliability: The solution’s consistency in achieving the same results under

identical scenarios. Each scenario will be repeated at least twice to assess

consistent performance under similar test conditions.

- Resilience: The solution's ability to perform reliably without downtimes or

interruptions under challenging environmental conditions (e.g., rain, fog, or

high wind).

Technical Capabilities and Functional Requirements

C-UAS solution’s core functional capabilities:

• Threat Mitigation and Neutralization: Description of mechanisms for detecting (detecting, tracking and identifying) UAS and neutralising (controlling or neutralizing) uncooperative UAVs.

• Methods: Specific methods (e.g., jamming, spoofing, directed energy, cyber- based neutralization, kinetic actions, or other novel techniques) and how they operate against single or swarm targets with various characteristics.

• Range and Effectiveness: Operational range (e.g. up to 5 km) and altitude capabilities (e.g. up to 300m).

• Response Time: C-UAS time to neutralize different types of targets (e.g. 1 minute for an off the shelf small UAV model x).

• C-UAS solution effect on the UAV: what effect will the C-UAS solution will have on the UAV (e.g. disabling UAV flight controller, communication link, kinetic impact on rotors)

• Precision, power output and direction: Ability to select specific frequencies, power output and direction of the effector (e.g. jammer beam shape and angle description)

• Scalability: Ability to handle single or multiple (swarm) UAVs and level of effectiveness across various scenarios (e.g. capability of multiple detections and neutralisations at the same time)

System Composition and Technical Specifications

• Components and Integration: Description of each core component (hardware and software), including make, model, manufacturer, power output, weight, mobility, and interconnectivity.

• Performance Metrics: Specific performance details, including frequency ranges, power outputs, and control interface options.

• System Automation: Degree of automation, from detection (optional; flight track and take-off position will be provided in advance before the testing scenario starts) to neutralization, and level of operator involvement.

• Mitigation and Neutralisation Options: Type of mitigation and neutralisation options available, capability to target individual UAVs within a swarm, and capacity for simultaneous neutralization of multiple UAVs with varying builds.

Operational Requirements and Deployment Feasibility

• Mobility Categories: Capability of the solution for portable, mobile, deployable, and fixed configurations.

• Setup and Deployment Time: Estimated time and manpower required to deploy the C-UAS solution and initiate operations.

• Operator Needs: Number of operators needed, supporting staff requirements, maintenance and troubleshooting support, and operator display/interface specifics.

• Sustainment and Support: Maintenance needs, sustainability plan, autonomy of the C-UAS solution, time of operation in off-grid environment (detection and neutralisation modes) and operating power requirements.

Data Management, Reporting, and Systems Integration

• Data Collection: Methods for monitoring performance metrics, feedback on mitigation/neutralization effectiveness, and adaptability in varied environmental settings.

• Data Output and Sharing: Types of data generated, available formats for ingestion into other systems (e.g., manned C-UAS ground stations). Each Applicant will provide logs for each scenario in an open geospatial format (such as shapefile, geopackage or kml, which can be opened in GIS software) containing timestamp, location of detected aircraft, distance to aircraft, type of detection/neutralisation method used will include effector power output, frequency and direction. For each log, a short description is to be provided.

• Reporting Capabilities: Capability to provide daily reports to Frontex, detailing methods used per UAV threat scenario, outcome, and observed effectiveness.

• System Compatibility: Ability to integrate and communicate with existing border management technologies, interoperability with secure communication networks, use of open standards.

Safety, Vulnerabilities, and Limitations

• Safety Compliance: Assurance of safe use by operators and around bystanders, within near vicinity of critical infrastructure (e.g., airports, hospitals, highways), and sensitive environments.

• Environmental Constraints: Operational limitations (weather, terrain, etc.) and potential vulnerabilities (e.g., susceptibility to counter-countermeasures from custom built UAVs).

• Lifespan and Maintenance: Estimated product lifespan, maintenance frequency, support requirements, and safety protocols for standard and emergency scenarios.

Product Lifecycle and Cost Estimation

• Cost Structure: Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) estimation covering acquisition, operational, maintenance and training costs.

• Lifecycle Management: Estimated costs for sustaining operations throughout the designed lifespan and any anticipated major upgrades.

Application form BMVI 1.1.9.docx

Application form
Information to be filled out by the Commission
Fund/Instrument
Specific Objective
Specific Action
Reference of the call
BMVI
SO1
Support for border control capabilities including drones (UAS) and counter-drone measures (C-UAS)
BMVI/2025/SA/1.1.9

N.B. This application form is composed of a non-exhaustive list of information required by the Commission services to assess an application. Please note that:
• for the assessment, additional information may be requested if needed.
• In the absence of a specific indication of the aspects in the application that you consider sensitive, the information provided will not be handled, in principle, as “sensitive non-classified information” in the meaning of Article 9(5)(b) of Commission Decision (EU, Euratom) 2015/443 of 13 March 2015 on Security in the Commission1.
• Any document held by the Commission, including documents containing sensitive information, may be subject to a request for public access to documents and must be assessed pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and the Council of 30 May 2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents2 in light of the factual and legal circumstances that apply at the time of the adoption of the decision on access.
The applications should:
1. Provide information on the baseline currently in place (describe the border covered by activity of strategic importance proposed, outline the existing means of surveillance in place, describe the terrain and other circumstances that affect the choice of additional means of surveillance, the reasons for the nature of the equipment to be bought etc).
2. Provide an analysis on why the proposed activity/activities of strategic importance would be of added value at a particular border section(s), and why it is needed.

The above information should be presented in this application form under the designated sections, per Working Package (if applicable) and will be assessed in line with relevance, quality and impact criteria. Applicants are kindly invited to provide only the information relevant to each section. To ensure objectivity and high-quality submissions, the explanatory text accompanying each section (“Section-specific guidance”) should be followed carefully.

Part. 1 - Administrative information
A) General information
Member State(s)
National Specific Action
(Indicate your Member State)

Joint/cross-border innovation procurement
☐

Joint procurement acquisitions (Indicate the participating Member States)
☐

Title of the proposal
(please do not include any information that you consider not suitable for release to the public)

B) Participants and contacts
Identity of the (lead) Managing Authority
Full legal name of the Managing Authority (in English)

Legal representative of the Managing Authority

Title/First Name/Last Name:

Position:

Contact details of the person(s) responsible for the specific action within the Managing Authority
Title/First Name/Last Name

Position:

Direct telephone + country code number :

E-mail :

n.b. The participating Managing Authorities from other Member States should fill in the partnership declaration form
Project Beneficiaries
List all the project beneficiaries
Lead project beneficiary :

Other project beneficiaries :
Exchange of information between the Managing Authority and the project beneficiaries
Any proposal selected will have to be implemented in accordance with the EU and national rules, and the national, management and control system of the Member State concerned.

Has the Managing Authority exchanged information with the project beneficiaries about the conditions under the Member State’s Programme to ensure compliance with these rules?
YES ☐
NO ☐
Comments (any outstanding issues or issues to be addressed after selection, if applicable):

Do all partners agree on all the legal and financial obligations in implementing this proposal?
YES ☐
NO ☐
Comments :

Part 2. Presentation of the proposal
Project description

Provide a short summary of the proposal (max ½ page) that presents clearly and briefly what you will do, why and what you expect to be the concrete results once the project is finalised
(Section-specific guidance: please do not include any information in this short summary that you consider not suitable for release to the public)

Provide a description of the proposal including (max 3 pages):
Section-specific guidance:
a) the general objectives of the proposal;
b) the actors and Member States involved and their respective roles;
c) the activities carried out under the proposal;
d) the challenges addressed and
e) the expected (quantified) results

Only for joint procurement by groups of Member States
Describe the arrangements agreed by the participating Member States
(Section-specific guidance: You are invited to explain the general rationale for the arrangements of joint procurement; the envisaged division of tasks between participating entities, indicative timetable, distribution of the funding between participating entities, organisation of financial management among the participating entities, linguistic regime and reporting, monitoring, control and audit arrangements. Please attach any relevant documents, if relevant )

Is the EU funding for the specific action to be allocated to :
Option 1 ☐: The programme of the lead Member State in its entirety?

Option 2 ☐: The programme of each partner Member State?

Indicators of the Member State programme
(Annex VIII to the Fund/Instrument-specific Regulations)
Section-specific guidance: Indicate the changes to the programme’s output and results indicators

Dissemination and Communication
Section-specific guidance: Describe how the results are planned to be disseminated and communicated

A. Relevance of the proposal (Max 60 points; minimum pass 45/60)
Applicants must provide clear, concise, and evidence-based information. Each sub-question should be answered in full.
A1. Clarity and Consistency with the Objectives of the call
A1.1. Alignment with the Objectives of the call (Max 2 000 characters)
Section-specific guidance: Describe how the proposed action addresses the objectives and expected results listed in the call. Please, explain:
• the chosen priority areas;
• the border sections concerned;
• how planned activities contribute to the call’s objectives.

A1.2. Internal Coherence of the Proposal (Max 1 500 characters)
Section-specific guidance: Describe how activities under each work package fit together logically and reinforce each other.

A2. Added Value for National Border Management Capabilities
A2.1. Technical and Operational Suitability (Max 1 500 characters)
Section-specific guidance: Explain why the proposed activities and solutions are suitable for the operational needs of the border sections addressed.

A2.2. Consistency with the National Capability Development Plan (NCDP) and /or other Medium / Long-Term National Planning (Max 1 500 characters)
Section-specific guidance: Describe how the proposal contributes to the NCDP or any updated national planning documents. Indicate the specific objectives or gaps addressed. Additionally, describe how the project aligns with any additional national strategic or capability plans.

A3. Synergies in Border Management
A3.1. Integration and Interoperability (Max 1 500 characters)
Section-specific guidance: Explain why the proposed activities and solutions are suitable for the operational needs of the border sections addressed. Detail how the new UAS/C-UAS systems will be deployed in a secure and resilient manner, covering cybersecurity measures, data integrity protection, and the capacity to securely integrate with existing national IT networks.

A3.2. Contribution to EUROSUR (Max 1 500 characters) & use of European space programme components
Section-specific guidance: Confirm how data gathered through the project (e.g., from UAS monitoring activities) will feed into:
• the National Situational Picture, and
• the European Situational Picture (EUROSUR).
Describe the data flow or technical process if applicable.

As well, refer to use of European space programme components.

A4. Compliance with BMVI and European Integrated Border Management (IBM)
A4.1. Coherence with BMVI Objectives and alignment with EU Strategies (Max 1 500 characters)
Section-specific guidance: Explain how the proposal fits within the BMVI objectives, scope, and eligible actions and describe how the proposed action aligns with relevant EU policy frameworks and strategies under European IBM.

A5. Contribution to Addressing Threats and Identified Deficiencies
A5.1. Contribution to Handling Border-Management Threats (Max 1 500 characters)
Section-specific guidance: Explain how the proposed action strengthens the national capacity to address threats such as:
• hostile or disruptive activities at the external borders involving unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), including the instrumentalisation of migrants;
• hybrid threats affecting the EU external borders and border crossing points, including those in international airports;
• threats to critical border-related infrastructure;
• criminal activities linked to the management and security of the EU external borders.

A5.2. Addressing Deficiencies Identified in Evaluations (Max 1 500 characters)
Section-specific guidance: Important: Do not include sensitive information. If referring to a Vulnerability Assessment, provide only the year of the report and (if relevant) the number of vulnerabilities identified, without operational detail.
If applicable, describe how the proposal responds to deficiencies identified in:
• the Schengen Evaluation and Monitoring Mechanism (SEMM), and/or
• the Vulnerability Assessment conducted by Frontex.

B. Quality and Content (Max 20/100)
Applicants must respond to each subsection clearly and concisely. The information provided should demonstrate the maturity, feasibility, and technical quality of the proposed action.
B1. Maturity of the Application
B1.1. Background and Needs Assessment (Max 2 000 characters)
Section-specific guidance: Describe the background and context of the proposed action. Present a clear needs assessment explaining why the action is necessary.

B1.2. Intervention Logic (Max 1 500 characters)
Section-specific guidance: Explain the logical link between:
• the identified needs,
• the proposed activities, and
• the expected results.
Demonstrate how the action will produce the intended outcomes.

B1.3. Project Management Structure (Max 1 500 characters)
Section-specific guidance: Describe the operational and financial management arrangements. Include:
• responsible entities,
• decision-making structure,
• coordination mechanisms,
• roles of partners (if any).

B1.4. Implementation Timeline (Max 1 000 characters)
Section-specific guidance: Provide an indicative timeline showing key milestones and confirming feasibility of completing procurement and delivery before 31/12/2029. To be aligned with the Budget Form.

B1.5. Monitoring and Reporting Strategy (Max 1 500 characters)
Section-specific guidance: Explain how the project’s progress, outputs, and results will be monitored and reported.

B1.6. Experience and Expertise (Max 1 500 characters)
Section-specific guidance: Describe the experience and expertise of the project team and entities involved in implementation, directly relevant to the proposed action.

B1.7. Risk Assessment and Mitigation (Max 1 500 characters)
Section-specific guidance: Identify key operational, financial, or procurement risks and explain mitigation/contingency measures.

B1.8. Compliance with the EU Acquis (Max 1 000 characters)
Section-specific guidance: Explain the mechanisms that will ensure full compliance with relevant EU legislation and standards during implementation. Namely, how this proposal would be covered by the rules applicable to the Member State’s programme that ensure actions comply with the EU acquis including the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and, where applicable international obligations of the Union and the Member States arising from international obligations from the international instruments to which they are part.
Articles 4 and 13(1) ISF / Articles 3, 5, 6 and 16(1) AMIF / Articles 3, 4 and 13(1) BMVI / Article 9 CPR

B2. Coherence Between Work Packages (where applicable)
B2.1. Logical Connection Between Work Packages (Max 1 500 characters)
Section-specific guidance: Describe how the work packages are interconnected and how their interdependencies contribute to achieving the objectives.

B2.2. Prioritisation and Feasibility (Max 1 000 characters)
Section-specific guidance: Justify the priority order of the work packages. Confirm that the work package indicated as the first priority can start immediately and explain why.

B3. Cost-Effectiveness
B3.1. Cost Reasonability and Feasibility (Max 1 500 characters)
Section-specific guidance: Explain why the estimated costs are reasonable, realistic, and aligned with market conditions. If applicable, reference past acquisitions of similar systems or services. Appropriateness of the procurement approach (e.g. service-based vs. standalone acquisition) to ensure long-term maintainability and adaptability of the C-UAS solution.

B3.2. Methodology for Cost Calculation (Max 1 500 characters)
Section-specific guidance: Describe the methodology used to calculate and justify the proposed budget (e.g., unit prices, procurement estimates, benchmarking, market research).

B3.3. Justification of Non-Direct Costs (Max 1 000 characters)
Section-specific guidance: If the proposal includes costs not directly linked to the core objectives, provide justification and explain the necessity for implementation.

B4. Technical Standards and Requirements
B4.1. Compliance with Standards for UAS and C-UAS (Max 1 500 characters)
Section-specific guidance: Describe if the proposed solution complies with the technical standards and requirements set out in section 3.3.3 and Annexes I of the call and if the guidance s in Annex II have been taken into account

B4. Information on the budget
B4.1. Total eligible cost of the proposal (and per Member State in case of transnational proposal) EUR
Section-specific guidance: Indicate the main activities in the budget form Annex 1.
Total eligible cost of the proposal EUR:
B4.2. Requested co-financing rate
Requested co-financing rate %:
B4.3. Total EU contribution + 6% Technical Assistance
Total EU contribution EUR:
6% Technical Assistance EUR:
B4.4. Total amount to be earmarked to the Member State’s programme
EU contribution EUR:
6% Technical Assistance EUR:
Total :

Statement from the Managing Authority
Declaration indicating that the project proposal, including the information on the budget, has been prepared in accordance with EU and national eligibility rules and can therefore be included into the Member State's programme. If not yet the case, statement from the Managing Authority that the review process will be done after the selection

Complementarity of the proposal with the Member State’s programme and other EU funding instruments
Section-specific guidance: Describe how the proposal was conceived in order to be complementary to the actions implemented under the Member State’s (or participating Member States’) programme(s) and other EU funding instruments, where relevant.

C. Impact (Max 20/100)
Applicants must demonstrate the expected impact of the proposed action on national border-management capacity. Responses should focus on specific, measurable, verifiable improvements (e.g., milestones and targets achievements & deadlines, in relation to the expected results).
C1. Overall Impact on Border-Management Capacity
Section-specific guidance: Describe how the proposed action will strengthen the Member State’s border-management capabilities. Explain how the results will improve preparedness for addressing current and future challenges at the EU external borders, including those related to UAS and counter-UAS (C-UAS) threats.

C2. Contribution to Key Capability Areas
Explain how the proposal will deliver concrete improvements (deliverables, systems, procedures, or capacities). Applicants should focus on measurable deliverables (e.g., number/type of tools developed, training sessions conducted, SOPs updated).
C2.1. Baseline assessment of existing UAS and C-UAS capabilities (Max 1 500 characters)
Section-specific guidance: Describe how the project will enhance or update the national baseline knowledge on current capabilities. In case a complex approach is applied to security across the country which does not include only border management, border surveillance, but also internal security or other policy fields (e.g. defence too), please provide a dedicated description to the capacity specifically available and/or used for border management.

C2.2. Operational readiness
Section-specific guidance: Explain how the action will result in faster, more reliable, or more effective operational response capacity.

C2.3. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
Section-specific guidance: Describe improvements to SOPs or the development of new procedures resulting from the project.

C2.4. Training and exercises
Section-specific guidance: Explain how the project will contribute to training curricula, operational exercises, or certification.

C2.5. Implementation of the National Capability Development Plan
Section-specific guidance: Describe how activities support the implementation, acceleration, or fulfilment of the national plan’s objectives.

C3. Usability and Sustainability of Results
Describe how the results of the project will be directly usable by border-management authorities and how benefits will be sustained beyond the end of the project.

Legal Notice:
In case the proposal is successful, the EU contribution for the project under the specific action will be included in the Member State’s BMVI programme in by means of a programme amendment approved by the Commission and implemented in accordance with the provisions of the BMVI Regulation (EU) 2021/1148] and Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 (Common Provisions Regulation).
As Managing Authority, I agree to include the successful project in the programme and ensure that the project will be implemented in accordance with the provisions of the BMVI Regulation (EU) 2021/1148 and Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 (Common Provisions Regulation).
In line with Article 13(14)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1148 on the Border Management and Visa Instrument it is required that all large-scale operating equipment for border management, such as aerial and maritime means of transport and surveillance, shall be registered in the technical equipment pool of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency for the purpose of making that equipment available in accordance with Article 64(9) of Regulation (EU) 2019/1896 on the European Border and Coast Guard. I agree to register accordingly such equipment purchased under this call.
Date
Signature
Legal representative of the [lead] Managing Authority
Click or tap to enter a date.

Call for expression of interest BMVI 1.1.9.pdf

Commission européenne/Europese Commissie, 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel, BELGIQUE/BELGIË – Tel. +32 22991111

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR MIGRATION AND HOME

AFFAIRS

Directorate E – HOME Affairs Funds

The Director

Brussels

HOME.E.3/RM

NOTE FOR THE ATTENTION OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE

FOR THE HOME AFFAIRS FUNDS

Ref.: HOME-Funds/2025/47

Subject: Launch of the call for expression of interest under the Specific Action

“Support for border management capabilities including drones (UAS) and

counter-drone measures (C-UAS)” under the Instrument for Financial

Support for Border Management and Visa Policy (BMVI) – Reference

BMVI/2025/SA/1.1.9

1. INTRODUCTION

Regulation (EU) 2021/1148 (1) of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July

2021 establishing, as part of the Integrated Border Management Fund, the Instrument for

Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy (BMVI) provides that

Member States (MS) (2) may receive funding for specific actions in addition to their

initial allocations in their respective programmes.

Specific actions aim to fund transnational or national projects that bring Union added

value in accordance with the objectives of the Instrument for which one, several or all

Member States may receive an additional allocation to their programmes.

(1) Regulation (EU) 2021/1148 establishing, as part of the Integrated Border Management Fund, the

Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy (BMVI)

(2) For the purposes of this call, references to “Member States” include both the EU Member States

participating in the BMVI and the Schengen Associated Countries

They will be implemented as one of the components of the Thematic Facility in line with

Art. 8 of the above-mentioned Regulation and in accordance with the relevant financing

decisions and work programmes for the Instrument (3).

By the present note, the Commission launches a call for expression of interest for

Specific Action “Support for border management capabilities including drones (UAS)

and counter-drone measures (C-UAS)”, in line with the actions listed in the above-

mentioned Commission’s financing decision and work programme.

2. GENERAL PRINCIPLES

Specific actions will be implemented by one or more countries participating in the

Instrument via funding received in addition to the allocation under their programmes.

Funding for specific actions is added to the Member States’ programme allocations at the

time of the approval of the initial programme or by means of a programme amendment.

That additional funding is earmarked for the specific action concerned and shall not be

used for other actions in the Member State’s programme, except in duly justified

circumstances and as approved by the Commission through the amendment of the

programme.

Whereas the regular EU co-financing rate under the Member States’ programmes will not

exceed 75% of total eligible expenditure, projects implemented under specific actions

may benefit from an increased co-financing rate of up to 90% of total eligible

expenditure.

The specific action must be implemented by the Member States in accordance with the

BMVI (4) Regulation and the Common Provisions Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 (CPR) (5).

This includes compliance with fundamental rights. Moreover, Member States must

ensure that the specific action is not affected by a reasoned opinion delivered by the

Commission in respect of infringement proceedings under Article 258 of the Treaty on

the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) that put in doubt the legality and

regularity of expenditure or the performance of the actions (Article 8(5) of the BMVI

Regulation).

(3) Integrated Border Management Fund – Border Management and Visa Instrument (2021-27)

(europa.eu)

(4) Regulation (EU) 2021/1148 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2021

establishing, as part of the Integrated Border Management Fund, the Instrument for Financial Support

for Border Management and Visa Policy.

(5) Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 laying

down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund

Plus, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund and the European Maritime, Fisheries and

Aquaculture Fund and financial rules for those and for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund,

the Internal Security Fund and the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa

Policy.

Your attention is drawn to one provision of the Common Provisions Regulation

(CPR) (6). As regard the value added tax (“VAT”) eligibility regime, Article 64 (1)(c) of

the CPR provides that VAT is not eligible, except:

(i) “for operations the total cost of which is below EUR 5 000 000 (including

VAT);

(ii) for operations the total cost of which is at least EUR 5 000 000 (including

VAT) where it is non-recoverable under national VAT legislation”.

Moreover, for this call, your attention is also drawn to Article 9(4) of the CPR, where

reference is made to sustainable development and the respect of the Union environmental

acquis.

3. CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

3.1. Indicative Budget available

The indicative amount envisaged for this call BMVI/2025/SA/1.1.8 is EUR 250 million

(funds available under the 2023-2027 Thematic Facility work programme).

Each Member State may submit only one application.

Each application may be composed of multiple work packages, aligned with the different

priority areas and/or external border sections concerned by these areas. You will find

more information on the work packages in the application form.

The requested amount per Member State including all work packages (i.e., the Union

contribution to the Member State’s BMVI programme under the Specific Action):

- should not be lower than EUR 15 million per application including technical

assistance;

- should not be higher than EUR 35 million per application including technical

assistance;

However, applications which support cooperation in the form of joint/cross-border

innovation procurement and/or joint procurement acquisitions as defined under section

3.3.6, can increase the amount to EUR 50 million per application, including technical

assistance.

Proposals that do not meet the minimum pass score of 45 out of 60 for the relevance

criteria will be excluded from funding.

(6) Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 laying

down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund

Plus, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund and the European Maritime, Fisheries and

Aquaculture Fund and financial rules for those and for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund,

the Internal Security Fund and the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa

Policy

Given the limited budget, DG HOME may decide to reduce the total budget of individual

applications (for instance, select a limited number of work packages) or even that of

individual work packages, and/or establish a reserve list for proposals.

3.2. Background for the specific action

The Communication establishing the multiannual strategic policy for European integrated

border management (7), presented by the Commission on 14 March 2023, aims to

provide a shared policy framework and guidance for the implementation of an effective

European integrated border management for the period 2023 to 2027. The

Communication highlights that “Border surveillance requires effective operational

measures of the Member States’ national authorities responsible with border

management and enhanced presence of the European Border and Coast Guard Standing

Corps in pre-frontier areas, as well as reinforced border protection capabilities and

infrastructure, means of surveillance, including aerial surveillance, and equipment.”

The ProtectEU: a European Internal Security Strategy (8), presented by the Commission

on 1 April 2025, acknowledges that “strengthening the resilience and security of external

borders is crucial to counter hybrid threats, such as the weaponisation of migration, to

prevent threat actors and goods from entering the EU, and to combat cross-border crime

and terrorism effectively.”

The EU is supporting Member States countering threats posed by drones (unmanned

aerial systems, hereafter UAS) throughout various policy areas, such as internal security,

integrated border management, research, and civilian-military cooperation. Within the

civilian scope, the aim of this call is to enhance border control capabilities with a special

focus on the border management of the land and maritime external borders, as well

international airports.

Border management needs continue to be very important, considering the rapidly

evolving threat landscape and risks at the EU external borders, increased pressure on

border management including incidents across the external border, with UAS engaging in

disturbances, instrumentalization of migrants, hybrid threats, threats to infrastructure and

criminal activities etc.

The development of capabilities to counter unauthorised and/or non-cooperative

unmanned aerial systems (hereafter C-UAS) is a rapidly evolving challenge. Several

factors underpin the nature of the threats: variety of possible drone characteristics,

including size, range, speed, payload capacity, and difficulty to operate, which all impact

the capacity to counter the threat; continuous performance gains and innovations in drone

systems, including miniaturisation and resistance to countermeasures; proliferation of

systems and components on the EU internal market and their widening accessibility to

civilian consumers; current limits of counter-measures to detect, track, identify, mitigate

or neutralise drones as appropriate from technical, operational, governance and

regulatory perspectives.

There is hence a growing need to further develop the approach to countering threats

posed by UAS.

(7) COM/2023/146/final

(8) COM/2025/148/final

Member States, in Council discussions, have underscored the urgent need to reinforce

UAS and C-UAS capacities. They highlighted recent instances of unauthorised or

malicious drones, for example, unexplained drone incursions at airports and sensitive

sites, which have exposed gaps in current countermeasures. These discussions affirmed

that national authorities require additional support to detect, track and neutralise rogue

drones at the external borders.

At the meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council on 13 October 2025,

Ministers addressed the issue of drone detection and protection; on 23 October 2025, the

European Council addressed recent violations of EU airspace by calling for strengthened

joint efforts among Member States to enhance counter-drone capabilities.

Civil security authorities, such as border and coast guards for the external border

management (as well as law enforcement authorities for internal security, or operators of

civil critical infrastructure), have counter-drone tasks and needs. Civil counter-drone

capabilities are primarily under the jurisdiction of national civilian authorities. Counter-

drone measures that those authorities need to perform include detection, identification,

and neutralisation (non-kinetic and kinetic) of drones which are unauthorised and/or pose

a threat.

The Commission is implementing measures to support Member States to enhance civil

counter-drone capabilities.

Frontex and national border and coast guard authorities increasingly use UAS for border

management and situational awareness purposes, and they are also developing C-UAS

capabilities. The Capability Roadmap (9) for the European Border and Coast Guard maps

capability needs of Frontex and Member States’ border management authorities, based

on the National Capability Development Plans and on the Agency’s overview that

compiles them and investigates possible synergies.

In June 2024, Frontex organised Industry Days on C-UAS solutions and capabilities. (10)

In October 2025 Frontex, hosted by the Portuguese Air Force, carried out the final live

showcase of the Frontex 2025 C-UAS Prize Contest. (11) This experience allowed the

Agency to draft metrics for the evaluation of C-UAS solutions’ effectiveness in several

capabilities – from neutralisation to range, precision, interoperability, mobility,

efficiency, reliability and resilience.

Supporting European C-UAS capabilities for the external border management is also

relevant in the framework of European innovation policy for civil security and of

European strategic autonomy.

Regarding European innovation, as UAS and C-UAS are a relatively new and rapidly

evolving area (in terms of threats, capability needs and solutions), innovation is key.

Within the dedicated EU programme on research and innovation on civil security

(currently Horizon Europe Cluster 3 “Civil Society for Security”, and previously in the

2014-2021 Horizon 2020 Societal Challenge 7 “Secure Societies”), (12) the EU funded

(9) https://prd.frontex.europa.eu/document/management-board-decision-16-2024-on-the-approval-of-the-

capability-roadmap-of-the-european-border-and-coast-guard/

(10) https://www.frontex.europa.eu/innovation/announcements/12-june-2024-frontex-industry-day-on-

counter-unmanned-aerial-systems-c-uas-and-red-teaming-services-QwmMQE

(11) https://www.frontex.europa.eu/innovation/research-and-innovation/prize-contests/c-uas-prize-contest-

sFXJdl

(12) https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-

open-calls/horizon-europe/cluster-3-civil-security-society_en

European research and innovation on civil C-UAS capabilities to support border and

coast guards, law enforcement agencies, and operators of civilian critical infrastructures.

Several current European C-UAS solutions have been developed also through R&D

funded by this programme. (13)

The Commission also organised joint demonstrations of prototypes of possible future

innovative border management technologies from EU-funded civil security research,

including on C-UAS (14).

The Commission also dedicated funding support to Member States border and coast

guard users for testing, validating, piloting, transferring and/or integrating prototypes of

innovative border management solutions. This led to several projects testing C-UAS

innovative prototypes, such as those funded by the specific actions of the Border

Management and Visa Instrument (BMVI) dedicated to uptake of innovation

BMVI/2021-2022/SA/1.2.1 and BMVI/2024/SA/1.1.5; (15) and those funded by the

specific action of the Internal Security Fund (ISF) on uptake of innovation on protecting

public spaces against drone threats (ISF/2022/SA/3.4.1). (16)

Regarding European strategic autonomy, European C-UAS solutions for European civil

security practitioners including border and coast guards are also strategic for European

resilience and reliability. As analysed in assessments of critical technology

dependencies (17) and of the EU security market, (18) European autonomous systems may

be particularly prone to non-EU dependencies. C-UAS solutions for border management

should as much as possible ensure compatibility and interoperability with other legacy,

cross-agencies and cross-border components and systems, as well as security and

cybersecurity of the equipment and its data integrity. According to national and EU

systems and regulations, they may need also qualifications to connect to national

administration’s existing IT networks, including if applicable exchange of sensitive or

classified information.

(13) Such as projects ALADDIN (Advanced hoListic Adverse Drone Detection, Identification,

Neutralization, https://cordis.europa.eu/article/id/430028-a-complete-and-versatile-counter-drone-

system); ALFA (Advanced Low Flying Aircrafts Detection and Tracking,

https://cordis.europa.eu/article/id/418277-better-detection-of-small-aircraft-and-drones-helps-protect-

europe-s-maritime-borders); PRESERVE (Protecting euRopean public spaces against Emergent

hoStile drone thrEats thRough an adVanced multidimensional shield and cross-border intelligEnce,

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101168392).

(14) https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news/european-innovation-strengthens-border-management-new-eu-

technology-2025-09-04_en

(15) Such as projects BMVI/2021-2022/SA/1.2.1/005, A mobile system for detecting and locating low

flying objects that have illegally crossed the state border using radar technology, Poland;

BMVI/2024/SA/1.1.5/001, Piloting of Multi-Layer Counter-UAS position, Estonia.

(16) Such as projects ISF/2022/SA/3.4.1/001, Protection of public spaces & mass gatherings (POP-ART),

Spain; ISF/2022/SA/3.4.1/002, Counter-UAS detection/tracking/alert and training for LEAs

(PROTECDOME), Cyprus; ISF/2022/SA/3.4.1/003, LEA toolkit for public-space protection

(SAFEGUARD), Greece.

(17) A Commission-internal deep-dive assessment on autonomous systems was conducted in 2022.

(18) EU security market study – Final report, Publications Office of the European Union, 2022,

https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2837/19472

3.3. Scope and purpose of the specific action

This call targets Member States experiencing increased and complex pressures on border

management. These pressures include, but are not limited to:

- hostile or disruptive activities at the external borders involving unmanned aircraft

systems (UAS), including the instrumentalisation of migrants;

- hybrid threats affecting the EU external borders and border crossing points, including

those in international airports;

- threats to critical border-related infrastructure;

- criminal activities linked to the management and security of the EU external borders.

Particular consideration will be given to Member States that have been most frequently

exposed to such complex and multidimensional pressures at their external land and

maritime borders (beyond mere presence of migratory pressure).

3.3.1. Priority areas to cover

The applications should cover one or more of the following three priority areas:

1. Expanding aerial surveillance capabilities with the purchase of UAS and C-

UAS at external borders. 

2. Integrating UAS and counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) into the

national border surveillance systems and that feed into the national and European

situational pictures, for the purpose of improving situational awareness on non-

cooperative and/or unauthorised use of UAS.

3. Supporting deployment of innovative technologies, methods and communication

systems for the purpose of border control at external borders that feed into the

national and European situational pictures, bearing in mind new hybrid threats

directly impacting the management of the EU external borders.

3.3.2. Operational needs to achieve

The applications should seek to enhance national border management capabilities at the

EU external borders built so far, referring to the National Capability Development Plan,

and, where appropriate, updates following evolving needs as resulting from changing

threat landscape analysis in view of the management of the EU external borders.

The proposed work packages should contribute to the further development of

interoperable systems that form a comprehensive and multi-layered surveillance

capability, ensuring persistent large-area surveillance coverage, as well as adaptability

and flexibility in the operational areas to be covered at the EU external border.

The application form offers the possibility to provide facts, data and other considerations

on the national context and specific circumstances relating to the needs in the country

according to the priority areas (see section 3.3.1) and border sections concerned that

should enable the Commission services to apply the assessment criteria presented under

section 4.1, demonstrating relevance and impact of the application.

The application form also offers the possibility to explain the choices made for the nature

of the equipment and systems, considering the conditions at the external border sections

concerned and to indicate the expected results and impact (increase in reaction time,

increase in aerial zone coverage etc), and indicate the priority of the different work

packages.

To achieve the operational needs, applications can also include activities that relate to the

following with the purpose of border management:

- Capacity building on the use of UAS and C-UAS (training and upskilling of staff,

specialised teams in the border management authorities, etc.).

- Development of civilian border UAS platforms supporting border surveillance.   

- Upgrading already existing civilian UAS/C-UAS packages (e.g. with longer range

cameras, radar, etc.).

- Follow up and roll out of 2025 piloted prototypes and products for UAS and C-

UAS developed under Horizon (e.g. collaboration with Frontex and Member

States currently involved with such projects). 

- Cooperation with stakeholders on UAS and C-UAS (private sector).

- In order to ensure a wider scale integration and interoperability as a non-cost item

the following could also be included under the activities that could be covered to

the extent relevant for this call: Cooperation with actors responsible for critical

infrastructure and civil preparedness.

The applications should detail how the new UAS/C-UAS systems will be deployed in a

secure and resilient manner. This should cover cybersecurity measures, data integrity

protection, and the capacity to securely integrate with existing national IT networks.

The scope of this Specific Action also encompasses measures to ensure that any newly

acquired systems are deployed in a secure and resilient manner. Applicants should

consider cybersecurity requirements and data integrity when integrating UAS/C-UAS

into their existing infrastructure, ensuring secure connections with national IT networks.

Integration and interoperability will be key: multi-layered C-UAS systems not only

should utilise integration between multiple technical solutions, but the whole C-UAS

system should be interoperable to current C-UAS and other technical border management

systems, which the Member State has deployed already. Standalone systems and

hardware should be avoided.

Furthermore, this Specific Action contributes to the EU’s strategic objectives by

encouraging solutions that strengthen the EU’s security and strategic autonomy, for

instance by capitalising on European technological developments in the drone and

counter-drone domain, and by using European space programme components’ services.

Applications should consider and explain if and how national security services would or

should be involved in the projects, including regarding handling of classified data and

information, if applicable; if and how security and vulnerability assessments have or

would be done on planned equipment or platforms; and or if security requirements would

be planned for the handling and maintenance of the equipment once acquired (including

handling of classified data and information, if applicable).

3.3.3. Applicable technical standards and non-binding guidance

Mandatory compliance

In accordance with Article 13(14) of the EU Regulation 2011/1148 on the Border

Management and Visa Instrument, any purchase of equipment or ICT systems supported

under this Instrument must comply with the standards established under Articles 16 and

64 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1896 where such standards exist and are applicable to the

equipment concerned (19).

The applicable requirements and standards for UAS purchased under this call need to

fulfil the mandatory requirements as described in Annex I. For the types of UAS for

which no such requirements have been established in Annex I, Member States may

follow non-binding guidance.

Non-binding guidance

For any UAS that are not covered by Annex I and all C-UAS (20) capabilities, the

guidance in Annex II part 1 to this call should be considered and Annex II part 2 could be

considered when preparing the application.

Adherence to Annex II is not mandatory under this call and non-adherence to this Annex

in itself is not an exclusion ground; however, applicants should explain how the proposed

solution meets the operational needs and requirements of the action (in particular C-UAS

solution’s core functional capabilities for detection/tracking/identification/mitigation,

interoperability/integration, safety and security, cybersecurity and data integrity, and

lifecycle support). Moreover, Member States should explain in the application how they

considered the guidance and to what extent they can apply this in the operational needs in

national context.

Evaluation of this current call is envisaged to take place after the results of the BMVI

specific action “Equipment to increase the operational capacity of the European Border

and Coast Guard Agency” (BMVI/2025/SA/1.2.3) are ready. The aim of that call is to

purchase unmanned equipment to be used for border surveillance at the national level and

to be put at the disposal of Frontex in accordance with Article 64(14) of Regulation (EU)

2019/1896.

3.3.4. Activities to co-finance

The specific action proposed can include the following activities:

1. Purchase of equipment, be it stationary or mobile (equipment such as but not

limited to different types and sizes of UAS, UAS with C-UAS capabilities; radio

communication detectors, thermal cameras, sensors, radar to identify and detect,

jammers, kinetic neutralisation measures, detection, tracking and identification

software, etc). In case of C-UAS it is crucial to be able to provide for a

multilayered capability package to counter or neutralise unauthorised/non-

cooperative UAS. UAS usually move based on signals from global navigation

satellite system, but can also manage without, by using an offline inertial

navigation system. In the latter case, neutralisation by jamming or spoofing will

not work, and a kinetic solution will be needed.

(19) For your information please find here the current Technical Standards for the equipment to be

deployed in Frontex activities, including Technical Standards for Aerial Equipment: Frontex

Management Board Decision 51/2021 of 21 September 2021 adopting Technical Standards for the

equipment to be deployed in Frontex activities

20 Interceptor drones are considered only as a part of C-UAS capability and these do not need to meet

mandatory requirements listed in the Annex I, only Annex II apply. )

2. Purchase of equipment to support the deployment and use of UAS and C-UAS

capabilities.

3. IT developments and integration of C-UAS into existing mobile or fixed systems.

4. IT and ICT systems, infrastructure, operating equipment, including contributions

to (functionalities in) common platforms and/ or integrated command and control

systems at national level for the detection, tracking and neutralisation of UAS,

insofar as they support border control.

5. Training and other capacity building measures for border management authorities

on effective use of C-UAS.

6. Cost of partnership activities that are considered necessary for supporting the

UAS and C-UAS capabilities of border management authorities.

When purchase of C-UAS is envisaged under this call, this should be procured as a

service rather than as standalone hardware, so that performance, integration and

maintenance are embedded in the contract and can evolve with the threat. Besides

hardware also software and their maintenance should be in the focus of the acquisition to

allow long-term functioning/use of the equipment purchased under this call.

In line with Article 13(14)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1148 on the Border Management

and Visa Instrument it is required that all large-scale operating equipment for border

management, such as aerial and maritime means of transport and surveillance, purchased

by the Member States shall be registered in the technical equipment pool of the European

Border and Coast Guard Agency for the purpose of making that equipment available in

accordance with Article 64(9) of Regulation (EU) 2019/1896 on the European Border

and Coast Guard. To be noted that aircrafts are referred to in Article 63(4) of the

Regulation (EU) 2019/1896, which can be manned or unmanned stipulated in the

EUROSUR Implementing Regulation.

In line with these requirements, Member States are expected to register all large-scale

equipment purchased under this call, so that it can be included in the annual bilateral

negotiations between the Member State and Frontex.

If any special circumstances apply, such as cases where the warranty of fixed large-scale

surveillance equipment or systems (e.g. certain UAS or C-UAS) would become void if

the equipment were moved or redeployed, or in case of fixed equipment that cannot be

moved, this should be flagged in the application form. It should be communicated to the

Agency in view of the bilateral negotiations (where potential solutions, including

financial compensation or an agreement not to redeploy, fall under the discretion of the

negotiating parties).

3.3.5. Considerations on eligibility for the use of UAS and C-UAS

Nature and scope of the equipment UAS and C-UAS

Equipment that may entail the use of force, including weapon-like systems such as stand-

alone hand-held counter-UAS devices, is not eligible for support. In accordance with the

BMVI Regulation, equipment financed under the Instrument must have as its primary

and ultimate purpose the performance of border management and border control tasks.

Any equipment procured with BMVI funding must be deployed strictly in line with the

BMVI Regulation and with full respect for fundamental rights, including the principles

of necessity and proportionality. The Member State will bear full responsibility for

ensuring that such equipment is operated in a manner that does not endanger human life

or physical integrity and avoids, to the greatest extent possible, harm to animals or the

natural environment.

This responsibility is of particular relevance in the context of countermeasures or

neutralisation actions. Such actions must be carried out so as to ensure that neither the

measures themselves, nor any debris or secondary effects, pose risks to persons, animals,

the environment, infrastructure, or facilities, including border-crossing points and

associated installations. The prevention of such risks must be prioritised and remains

within the exclusive operational responsibility and discretion of the Member State

concerned.

For deployment at sea and land borders: Surveillance along the external maritime and

land borders

Equipment necessary to carry out border management activities in line with Article 13 of

the Schengen Borders Code, at the EU external border and its proximity.

For deployment at international airports: Surveillance of security perimeter

Equipment necessary to carry out border management actions along the fencing around

the international airports and/or perimeter can be considered. The border management

actions carried out at the fencing of international airports can focus on 1/ensuring the

fluid and continued operation of the border crossing point, and 2/prevent that any person

would circumvent border control, irregularly enter the territory of the Schengen area.

Purchase of equipment, be it stationary or mobile equipment such as but not limited to

different types and sizes of UAS, UAS with C-UAS capabilities shall be used for the

above mentioned two purposes as well among the objectives. The entity being able to

operate the equipment shall be the national authority responsible for border management

on its own or in cooperation with the airport operator and/or the company responsible for

security. The national authority responsible for border management shall remain the

owner of the equipment and responsible for the use of the equipment.

Funds dedicated to international airports will be limited, priority will be given to land

and maritime borders. Only those international airports that have been notified to the

Commission as border crossing points in the sense of Article 39 (published in Annex IV

of the Practical Handbook for Border Guards) of the Schengen Borders Code will be

considered for funding. Determining factor for allocating funds under this call will be

the volume of passengers crossing the EU external borders as reflected in relevant

EUROSTAT data. Particular consideration will be given to Member States that have

faced such complex and multidimension pressures at their international airport and the

frequency it has occurred.

Member States are requested to mention in the application which entity/ies will be

involved in the use of the equipment.

3.3.6. Considerations on public procurement

To be considered eligible, an application must not result in financing of equipment that

has already been procured and delivered. However, Member States may apply if they are

already in the process of procuring equipment that is eligible under the specific action

and fulfils the objectives, criteria and standards set out.

UAS and C-UAS, including for the border surveillance applications, is a relatively new,

rapidly advancing, changing and diverse area in terms of technology, threats, market

players, etc. Furthermore, novel or additional UAS and C-UAS systems will have to

integrate with and into existing and legacy systems and components – sensors,

command-and-control, etc.

In such situations, innovation procurement and/or joint procurement may be useful

approaches.

Applicant countries are encouraged to proceed with innovation procurement and/or joint

procurement acquisitions. However, neither innovation procurement nor joint

procurement are mandatory for this call.

Applicant countries may consider using joint procurement in groups of countries, in

combination (joint innovation procurement) or not with innovation procurement.

Applicant countries may also consider using innovation procurement, either alone or

jointly with other countries.

3.3.6.1. Joint procurement by groups of Member States

Joint procurement is the central and collective (by groups of Member States)

procurement of goods and services that could have been otherwise procured and then

used by the individual parties involved (national governments and administrations).

Joint procurement may help applicant countries to increase attractivity to

manufacturers/suppliers and be more strategic in front of the market and suppliers of

UAS and C-UAS components and systems. It may also allow applicant countries to

negotiate better contract conditions (e.g. terms of delivery) and exploit economy of scale

by aggregating the demand of more contracting authorities.

Moreover, joint procurement may help applicant countries to increase interoperability

and/or integration with existing and legacy systems, and to achieve better harmonisation

and coordination between neighbouring countries.

If applicant countries plan to do joint procurement for this call (in connection or not with

innovation procurement), each country should indicate it in its own application.

The Commission invites applicant countries to review the Toolbox for joint cross-border

public procurement (JCBPP) by the EU-funded iProcureNet (available here).

3.3.6.2. Innovation procurement

Innovation procurement is public procurement where contracting authorities, instead of

buying off-the-shelf, act as a launch customer (21) for goods or services which are not yet

available on the needed large-scale commercial basis. Buyer(s) act(s) as early adopters

procuring products, services or processes that contains substantially novel characteristics.

Innovation procurement provides a large enough demand to incentivise industry to invest

in commercialisation with the quality and price needed by users; and it may contribute to

achieving best value for public money. A critical mass of purchasing power on the

demand side can incentivise industry to scale up the production to bring solutions to the

market.

Innovation procurement also allows procurers to perform conformance testing of

solutions before actually procuring them, ensuring that the selected solutions meet their

specific needs and requirements.

Innovation procurement is not research and development. Innovation procurement

involves procuring goods and services that are innovative but already available, though

not necessarily in the needed large-scale commercial basis. Innovation procurement does

not include the procurement of research (which is known instead as ‘pre-commercial

procurement’ (PCP)).

With innovation procurement, the actual public procurement of the solutions happens

anyway through one of the existing public procurement procedures (e.g. negotiated

procedure, competitive dialogue etc.).

The Commission invites applicant countries to review:

- EU-funded Toolbox for Innovation Procurement in Civil Security (border

management, internal security, operators of civil critical infrastructure) by

iProcureNet (available here)

- Commission’s Guidance on Innovation Procurement (2021).

Applicant countries planning to use an innovation procurement approach for this call (in

connection or not with joint procurement) should indicate it in their application.

3.4. Expected results following the call

The expected results of this specific action include a significant reinforcement of the

overall operational capacity of the border management capabilities of national border

management authorities.

The action is expected to contribute to the deployment of emerging and innovative

technologies for comprehensive multipurpose surveillance at the EU external borders.

The supported actions are expected to result in enhanced, fully operational border control

capabilities that prevent and detect illegal activities, supported by multisensory

installations.

(21) Launch customer or early adopter refers to the first 20% of customers that buy an innovative solution. Launch

customer reference help attracting investors.

The successful applications will require changes to the programmes’ relevant indicators

that are listed in Annex VIII of the BMVI Regulation. The presentation of the expected

results should indicate reliable sources of data used to measure the achievements.

4. PROCEDURE FOR APPLICATION

4.1. Admissibility and assessment aspects

All EU Member States participating in the BMVI and the Schengen Associated Countries

are eligible.

To be considered admissible an application must:

1. be submitted within the deadline (see below) to the BMVI specific actions

functional mailbox [email protected],

2. consist of the official BMVI /202/SA/1.1.9 application form attached to this note

together with and the budget form, which must be readable and complete (all

fields necessary for assessment are filled in),

3. be submitted by the Managing Authority on behalf of the entity in the Member

State that will be responsible for the implementation of the specific action,

4. identify a project beneficiary (an entity) that will be responsible for the

implementation of the specific action in the Member State (in the lead for the

action),

5. in case of a transnational project involving joint procurement or other forms of

alignment / cooperation: include partnership declaration forms signed by the

Managing Authorities of all participating Member States (22).

6. Respect the minimum and maximum ceilings as indicated in section 3.1.

The Commission services may also seek advice from Frontex to support the assessment

of the applications.

For the eligibility of the proposed activities, Member States must comply with the

mandatory standards for equipment defined in Annex I and the timing of the public

procurement procedures, i.e. that an application must not result in financing of equipment

that has already been procured and delivered. The expenditure under the projects selected

must be incurred and paid before 31 December 2029.

DG HOME will assess admissible proposals based on the criteria indicated below. (23).

A. Relevance (max 60/100 – minimum pass score 45/60):

1. Clarity and consistency of the scope of the application against the objectives

and expected results identified in this call (choice of the priority areas and

border sections concerned, internal coherence of the activities proposed under

the work packages).

(22) Please refer to the note HOME-Funds/2022/07 on the arrangements between partners to be sought

when submitting applications for transnational specific actions.

(23) A. Relevance (max 60/100), B. Quality and content (max 20/100) and C. Impact (max 20/100)

2. Added value for the border management capabilities of the country

concerned:

▪ technical and operational suitability of the activities proposed under the

priority areas and border sections concerned

▪ the relevance in relation to the National Capability Development Plan or

any updates;

▪ any other relevant, existing medium- and/or long-term planning at national

level.

3. Synergies in the border management of the country concerned:

▪ degree of integration and/or interoperability of the proposed solutions into

the existing surveillance means of the country concerned; including how

the new UAS/C-UAS systems will be deployed in a secure and resilient

manner, covering cybersecurity measures, data integrity protection, and

the capacity to securely integrate with existing national IT networks, as

applicable. ▪ confirmation that any data related to border management, obtained via the

monitoring activities of the UAS and C-UAS, will feed into EUROSUR

and contribute to the National and European Situational Picture. As well

use of European space programme components

4. Compliance with the BMVI and coherence with European Integrated

Border Management: clarity and consistency of the proposal with the BMVI

scope and objectives, relevant EU strategies;

5. Contribution to the capabilities of the country concerned to handle threats

hindering effective border management, and responding to the deficiencies

identified in the peer review of Schengen Evaluation and Monitoring

Mechanism led by the Commission and/ or Vulnerability Assessment steered by

Frontex. If Vulnerability Assessment would be referred to, please avoid

reference to sensitive information and provide only the number of vulnerabilities

identified and the year when it was reported, in case it was mentioned in any

vulnerability assessment report without being or just refer to the year of the

report and the type of report)

B. Quality and content (max 20/100):

1. Maturity of the application: intervention logic of the proposal as a whole

(background information, needs assessment, proposed activities and expected

results); project management, including operational and financial management;

planned implementation (indicative timeline for the sake of ensuring that

equipment will be delivered within the current Multiannual Financial

Framework);monitoring/reporting strategy; experience and expertise of the

project team/entities involved in the implementation; risk assessment and risk

management procedures; mechanisms to ensure compliance with the EU acquis;

2. Coherence between the work packages (where applicable): clarity of the

interconnection and interdependencies between the work packages for the

achievement of the objectives of the proposal and the reasoning about the

priority; feasibility of the start of the work package indicated as the first priority;

3. Cost-effectiveness: reasonability and feasibility of the estimated cost (if past

examples of acquisition of same/similar equipment exist could be added as

supporting information for the evaluation of costs); quality of the methodology

for the calculation of costs; justification of costs not directly linked to the

objectives of the proposal, if any. Appropriateness of the procurement approach

(e.g. service-based vs. standalone acquisition) to ensure long-term

maintainability and adaptability of the C-UAS solution.

4. Degree of compliance with technical standards and requirements (Annexes

I and II), where appropriate, reasonableness of explanations on possible

limitations or derogations requested.

C. Impact (max 20/100):

Proposals must demonstrate clear and measurable impact on the Member State’s

border-management capacity. Activities to be financed under the proposals

should contribute to improved preparedness to address current and future

challenges at the EU external borders, including threats involving UAS and C-

UAS. Impact must be supported by concrete deliverables showing improvements

that are specific, measurable, verifiable and directly usable by border

management authorities relating to, inter alia:

1. the national baseline assessment of existing UAS and C-UAS capabilities

(in case of complex approach to UAS, C-UAS the adequacy of the

explanation to the capacity specifically available and/or used for border

management);

2. operational readiness

3. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs);

4. training and exercise packages;

5. the implementation of the national capability development plan.

Member States (24) must ensure respect for the horizontal principles described in Article

9 of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, including respect for fundamental rights and

compliance with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. Moreover,

Member States must ensure that the envisaged actions are not affected by a reasoned

opinion delivered by the Commission in respect of infringement proceedings under

Article 258 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) that put in

doubt the legality and regularity of expenditure or the performance of the actions

(Article 8(5) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1148).

4.2. Application procedure

Deadline for the application: Member States are invited to apply by 3rd of April 2026

at the latest, using the official BMVI/2025/SA/1.1.8 Application Form attached to this

Note, together with its annexes. The applicant can apply in any official EU language

(project abstract/summary should however always be in English). For reasons of

efficiency, it is strongly advised to use English for the entire application.

In line with the Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 (25), any document held by the

Commission, including documents containing sensitive information, may be subject to a

request for public access. Therefore, if relevant, the Managing Authorities should submit

each application in a separate email. Likewise, clarifications where needed/required per

application should be sent in separate emails. In the case sensitive information exists

(24) In the case of Schengen Associated Countries, the references to the Charter on Fundamental Rights of

the European Union shall be understood as references to the Convention for the Protection of Human

Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and its Protocols as ratified by the Schengen Associated Countries

and Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

(25) Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2001

regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents

relating to incidents at the external borders or threats that impact on border management

and/or the internal security of the Member State, applicants are invited to clearly indicate

the nature of the available information in the documents to be sent to the Commission.

Either the information provided is sensitive and this quality is highlighted (presented

separately), or it is indicated that the information cannot be shared and its existence is

only described in general terms. Sensitive information should not be sent without

encryption.

To ensure equal and fair treatment of the applications and allow the Commission to

allocate at the same date all the available funding, DG HOME will assess all applications

simultaneously. Therefore, applications submitted after the deadline will not be

admissible.

The Members of the Committee for the Home Affairs Funds will be informed at the latest

10 working days before the deadline for the submission of the applications in case the

deadline for the submission of applications is extended.

E-mail address for the application: The proposals should be submitted to the BMVI

specific actions functional mailbox [email protected].

Countries may submit additional documentation if necessary.

No modification to the application is allowed once the deadline for submission has

elapsed. However, if there is a need to clarify certain aspects or to correct clerical

mistakes, the Commission may contact the applicant/ lead Member State during the

evaluation process. A reply should be provided by the Member State within 3 working

days from the request date.

Any requests for clarification of the Member States on this call for the expression of

interest may be sent by 27 February 2025 at the latest, to the same BMVI specific

actions functional mailbox [email protected].

Requests should only be sent by the Managing authority. The Managing Authority has

an important role to explain to the potential beneficiaries the applicable rules and

specificities of the programmes in general and of a specific action in particular and to

help prepare applications for a specific action. The Managing Authority should be the

contact point and take the responsibility to review questions from potential beneficiaries

and raise questions to or request clarifications from the Commission services where

necessary. As projects under specific actions are managed at national level, according to

national rules, specific questions on eligibility of costs should be addressed first to the

Managing Authority.

To respect the equal treatment and transparency, the replies to the written requests for

clarification received will be sent to all Member States, via HOME-AFFAIRS-FUNDS-

[email protected]

DG HOME will inform Member States of the outcome of the assessment of the

applications towards June 2026.

5. AMENDMENT OF THE BMVI PROGRAMMES AND ELIGIBILITY OF EXPENDITURE

After having been informed of the outcome of the call for expression of interest,

each successful Member State shall submit to the Commission a request to amend

its BMVI programme via SFC. The amended programme should:

- include a short description of the specific action;

- adjust the output and result indicators, and

- include the costs and corresponding intervention types’ codes linked to this

specific action (respectively in the description and under tables 1, 2 and 3 of

the relevant specific objectives, and table 6 of the programme).

When amending the BMVI programme of a Member States, two situations may

arise regarding the eligibility of expenditure (26):

1. if all the types of interventions are listed in Annex VI table 1 of the BMVI

Regulation that are relevant for this Specific Action in table(s) 2.1.3 of the

relevant specific objective(s) in the initially approved BMVI programme, then

the expenditure for the Specific Action will be eligible as of 01/01/2021.

2. if not all the types of interventions are listed in Annex VI table 1 of the BMVI

Regulation that are relevant for this Specific Action in the table(s) 2.1.3 of the

relevant specific objective(s) in the initially approved BMVI programme:

expenditure for the Specific Action will be eligible from the date of submission

of the request for amendment of the BMVI programme that will add the

respective types of interventions in the programme.

Yours faithfully,

Silvia MICHELINI

Enclosures: Annex I - Requirements and standards for the technical assessment of UAS

Annex II- Non-binding guidance and reference documents for the technical

assessment of UAS/C-UAS solutions

Application form

Budget form

(26) Art. 63(7) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060.

Electronically signed on 22/12/2025 12:10 (UTC+01) in accordance with Article 11 of Commission Decision (EU) 2021/2121

Seosed

Nimi	K.p.	Δ	Viit	Tüüp	Org	Osapooled
Submission of the application to the call BMVI/2025/SA/1.1.9	05.05.2026	1	14-13.5/151-1 🔒	Väljaminev kiri	sisemin	European Commission , Andrea Giannetto , Justyna Aris, Mireia Raga Gomez